From Hollywood to Madison Avenue to the ballpark, entertainment, media and sports law requires a mix of creativity, business sense, and legal skill. These 10 law schools prepare students for careers in the field through hands-on clinics, industry-focused coursework and strong professional networks, earning an A+, A and A- in our annual honor roll.
(A+) Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law, Yeshiva University
Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law, Yeshiva University’s Intellectual Property & Information Law program has carved out a reputation as one of the strongest schools for students pursuing entertainment and media law. Its FAME Center (Fashion, Arts, Media & Entertainment Law Center) is the driving force of this focus by utilizing its access to companies and professionals throughout these industries. According to Dean Melanie Leslie, “The FAME Center produces creative lawyers for creative companies. These are businesses that require lawyers who understand business dynamics, brand protection, and other intellectual property issues in today’s highly competitive international market.”
The Center for Visual Advocacy (CVA) extends this mission by uniting law, visual arts, media, and social justice, offering training, film events, and conferences that advance visual advocacy as a tool for social change.
The FAME Center also helps students gain real-world experience through externships at top organizations like PRADA, American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers, Marvel Comics, and World Wrestling Entertainment. The Filmmakers Legal Clinic (FLC), which provides free transactional and intellectual property support for independent filmmakers, is another way that students gain experience while also doing pro bono work.
On the academic side, the Cardozo Arts & Entertainment Law Journal (AELJ) is one of the nation’s leading publications in this field, providing students opportunities to publish and edit work on emerging issues in media, IP, and entertainment.
Student organizations also fuel networking and practical engagement. The Entertainment Law Society, in collaboration with the FAME Center, organizes annual events such as Entertainment Law Week, which brings panels and discussions on topics ranging from Broadway law to digital streaming to diversity in the music industry.
(A+) Southwestern Law School
Few schools sit closer to the entertainment business than Southwestern, where the Biederman Institute bridges classroom learning with the realities of Hollywood. The Institute offers classes in film, television, music, and sports law with faculty who have tremendous practical experience. Southwestern also offers the nation’s most comprehensive post-J.D. program leading to an LL.M. in Entertainment and Media Law.
Students put their training into practice in the Entertainment and the Arts Legal Clinic, providing pro bono services to filmmakers, musicians, and other creative professionals. The Institute also has 50+ entertainment externship placements with studios, production companies, and entertainment law firms across Los Angeles, giving students the chance to work directly in the industry while earning academic credit.
Southwestern is also home to the Journal of International Media & Entertainment Law (JIMEL), produced in partnership with the Biederman Institute, which publishes work on cutting-edge issues facing the global entertainment industry.
When not in class or working, students can be found honing their skills in student organizations that help build professional networks. The Entertainment Law Society, Music Law Society, and Sports Law Society host events, panels, and networking programs that connect students with alumni and practitioners in Los Angeles and beyond.
(A+) UCLA School of Law
Entertainment law at UCLA School of Law reflects the pace and scale of Los Angeles itself: fast-moving, global, and deeply connected to the industry. The Ziffren Institute for Media, Entertainment, Technology & Sports Law is the hub of this focus, linking students with leading practitioners, alumni, and industry professionals through programs, workshops, and mentorship. UCLA Law also offers advanced pathways, including an M.L.S. specialization in Entertainment & Media Law and an LL.M. program with a concentration in entertainment law, both of which attract students from around the world.
Experiential opportunities include the Documentary Film Legal Clinic, where students advise filmmakers on issues ranging from intellectual property to distribution. The Sports Law Simulation course adds another layer of hands-on training, immersing students in mock projects such as negotiating sponsorship agreements with guidance from team counsel, handling player contract negotiations with NBA and MLB executives, and drafting advocacy briefs in disputes tied to NCAA rules. The Talent & Brand Partnerships / Name, Image & Likeness Clinic takes that practice further into the commercial side of entertainment and sports. Students learn how talent expands their brands through licensing, merchandising, and endorsement deals, and then apply those skills in live-client NIL Pop-Up Clinics in collaboration with UCLA Athletics.
Students are immersed in the heart of the business while earning academic credit during their externship placements across Los Angeles with studios, record labels, sports organizations, and entertainment law firms.
The UCLA Entertainment Law Review is a nationally recognized journal devoted to developments in media, IP, and entertainment, giving students a platform to refine their research and editorial skills. The Journal of Law and Technology (JOLT) highlights cutting-edge issues in intellectual property and technology through articles, commentary, and practical insights from practitioners.
Student life reinforces this professional training. The Entertainment Law Association and Sports Law Association organize panels, networking events, and industry visits, ensuring students have regular contact with practitioners shaping entertainment law today.
(A) Chapman University Fowler School of Law
Chapman University Fowler School of Law gives students a direct path into entertainment law through its Entertainment Law Certificate, which combines coursework with experiential learning. At the core of that experience is the Entertainment Law Clinic, where students act as production counsel for independent filmmakers, drafting contracts and navigating intellectual property issues that directly affect creative projects.
Externships extend this training, placing students with firms and organizations across Southern California’s entertainment landscape, including film studios, music companies, and sports organizations.
Each spring, Fowler School of Law hosts an Entertainment & Sports Law Symposium, which brings practitioners to campus for discussions on emerging issues like streaming platforms, music rights, and athlete representation.
Student organizations such as the Entertainment & Sports Law Society, the Intellectual Property Law Society, and the Sports Law Society give students the chance to network, organize events, and build connections in Orange County and beyond.
(A) Oklahoma City University School of Law
With its Certificate in Intellectual Property, Sports, & Entertainment Law (IPSEL), Oklahoma City University School of Law gives students a direct way to focus on the legal issues shaping creative and athletic industries. The program blends coursework in IP and contracts with experiential opportunities, preparing students to work with artists, athletes, and media professionals.
The Collaborative: Law Clinic for Business and Innovation gives students hands-on client experience. Under faculty supervision, they advise startups, nonprofit organizations, and entrepreneurs on matters such as intellectual property protection, entity formation, and contract drafting. The clinic is also a certified USPTO and Copyright Claims Board Clinic, which allows students to assist with patents and copyright claims.
Oklahoma City University provides more than 90 externship opportunities, many within walking distance of campus. These placements take students to courtrooms, boardrooms, nonprofits, government agencies, and other organizations where they can earn academic credit while working under the guidance of supervising lawyers and judges.
Community is another strength: the Sports, IP & Entertainment Law Association creates a hub for students to connect with peers, faculty, and practitioners, hosting events that showcase career pathways and industry challenges.
(A) Thomas Jefferson School of Law
At Thomas Jefferson School of Law, entertainment law is built on practice, with students drafting contracts, counseling clients, and working directly on issues that shape creative industries. The Intellectual Property, Entertainment & Sports Law Fellowship Program gives participants focused training and mentorship, while also creating networking opportunities in San Diego’s creative community.
Clinical opportunities include the Patent & Trademark Clinic, the first law school in California to be certified by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. Students represent clients seeking trademark registrations and patent protection. The Small Business Law Center also provides a steady stream of clients from the local arts and innovation sectors.
The externship program lets students earn credit while gaining direct client work experience. They sharpen research and writing skills, work directly with clients and courts, and receive mentoring through accompanying classes.
Thomas Jefferson also hosts the annual National Sports Law Negotiation Competition, where law schools from across the country gather to tackle current issues in sports and entertainment through simulated negotiations and networking.
(A) University of California, Berkeley, School of Law
For more than 25 years, University of California, Berkeley, School of Law has been at the forefront of exploring how law intersects with technology, media, and entertainment. The Berkeley Center for Law & Technology (BCLT) leads this effort, with its Media, Entertainment & Sports Law (MESL) initiative creating opportunities for students to engage with leading practitioners and organizations shaping these industries.
Clinical training comes through the Samuelson Law, Technology & Public Policy Clinic, where students work on matters involving intellectual property, free speech, and digital rights.
The Civil Field Placements available at the Pac-12 Conference, Independent Television Services (ITVS), and the Wikimedia Foundation allow students to apply their education by working at nonprofit organizations and government agencies.
On the academic front, the Berkeley Journal of Entertainment & Sports Law (BJESL) is an interactive and electronic law review that gives students the chance to research and publish work on emerging issues in media and sports law.
Student involvement further enriches the program. The Sports & Entertainment Law Society (SELS) connects students with alums and industry leaders, while also organizing Berkeley’s annual Sports & Entertainment Conference, a popular event that brings practitioners from across the country to campus.
(A-) Fordham University School of Law
The world’s first Fashion Law Institute calls Fordham University School of Law home, giving students access to pioneering courses, pop-up clinics, and industry events at the heart of New York City. Aspiring students can get an LL.M. or an M.S.L. degree in Fashion Law.
A key feature of the Institute is its Fashion Law Pop-Up Clinic, which pairs designers with volunteer attorneys and advanced law students to provide free, fashion-specific legal guidance. The Institute also runs the annual Fashion Law Boot Camp, an intensive summer program where students study global fashion law while engaging directly with leading brands and practitioners.
Beyond fashion, students explore broader media and IP issues through the Intellectual Property Institute and Fordham CLIP (Center on Law and Information Policy). Practical experience comes through clinics such as the Samuelson-Glushko Intellectual Property & Information Law Clinic, where students advise clients on matters involving copyright, privacy, and technology. Externship programs provide unmatched access to New York City’s media, fashion, and entertainment industries.
On the publishing side, the Fordham Intellectual Property, Media & Entertainment Law Journal (IPLJ) is one of the most cited in its field, giving students the chance to edit and publish work on emerging media and entertainment topics.
Student groups deepen the sense of community and professional development. The Media & Entertainment Law Society (MELS), Artists Representation Society (ARS), and Fashion Law Society host events, workshops, and networking opportunities that tie directly into Fordham’s centers and clinics.
(A-) Texas A&M University School of Law
Texas A&M University School of Law has quickly emerged as a national player in intellectual property, sports, and entertainment law, earning recognition for programs that combine rigorous academics with industry-facing opportunities. Leading the charge for the Aggies M.L.S. in Intellectual Property, Technology, & Innovation degree and the J.D. concentration of IP & Technology Law and Sports & Entertainment Law Practice Area is the Center for Law and Intellectual Property (CLIP), which supports specialized courses, events, and research in IP, media, and entertainment law. Students following the Sports and Entertainment Law career path learn how these disciplines intersect with contracts, branding, and emerging technologies.
The Patent Clinic and Trademark & Copyright Clinic, both certified by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, allow students to advise inventors, artists, and entrepreneurs on IP matters central to entertainment law.”
Externship placements extend this practical training, with opportunities at sports organizations, creative businesses, and nonprofits, supported by faculty mentorship and CLIP’s professional network. Events and speaker series further connect students with attorneys working in sports and entertainment.
The Sports and Entertainment Law Society hosts panels, networking programs, and career workshops that link classroom learning with industry practice.
(A-) Villanova University Charles Widger School of Law
With Philadelphia’s pro sports teams just a few miles away, Villanova University Charles Widger School of Law offers students a front-row seat to the business of sports law. The school’s Jeffrey S. Moorad Center for the Study of Sports Law is one of the first of its kind, providing students with specialized courses, symposia, and programming that address the legal and business issues shaping professional and collegiate athletics. Each year, the Center also hosts the Moorad Sports Law Symposium, which draws industry leaders and practitioners for in-depth discussions on current issues in sports.
Practical training includes externship placements with teams, leagues, law firms, and sports organizations, giving students the opportunity to earn credit while working directly in the industry.
Students also benefit from Villanova’s strong alum network in the sports business, with frequent speaker events and mentoring opportunities.
The Jeffrey S. Moorad Sports Law Journal provides a platform for students to write and edit articles exploring emerging issues in the sports industry, from collective bargaining to NIL regulations.
Student groups like the Entertainment and Media Law Society, Fashion Law Society, and the Sports Law Society round out the experience by hosting events, facilitating networking, and offering skills competitions that prepare students for careers at the intersection of law and sports.
This story is sponsored by Southwestern Law School.
