Intellectual curiosity. That’s the term Magda Grace used when asked what fueled her legal education and career journey.
Born in Montreal, Grace attended University of Toronto, earning an honors bachelor of arts degree in Ethics, Society & Law and Equity Studies. She went on to law school at McGill University in Montreal, where her father taught music.
“The media world of music and entertainment was a part of my upbringing,” Grace said. “I have naturally gravitated toward my passion in media and intellectual property law.”
While at McGill Law, Grace worked as a research assistant, focusing on topics such as copyright in the cloud, copyright law and what ownership looks like in the digital age.
“At a time when MP3s were emerging and people could rent digital movies, the industry was evolving,” she said. “There was a shift away from physical media into digital media. This was fascinating to me.”
Grace graduated from McGill Law in 2011 with two degrees: a J.D. and a bachelor of civil law (BCL).
“Upon graduation from law school, most of my colleagues went into Year One working at a law firm,” Grace said. “I didn’t feel that pull into the corporate legal environment as an associate. I wanted to expand my possibilities in entertainment law.”
Grace said there were more opportunities to explore the entertainment industry in the U.S. than in Canada. She did research to determine which LL.M. program would be best to advance her career in entertainment law.
“I wanted to know more about the entertainment industry and get into the business,” she said.
She chose UCLA Law’s LL.M. in Media, Entertainment, Technology and Sports Law & Policy based on the school’s outstanding reputation in that area, she said.
“My intent to pursue this career choice meant a serious investment to get a firm footing in this space,” she added. “I recognized early on that obtaining the LL.M. was critical for me to be able to build my career. The legal education and courses were incredible and more in depth than what I would have encountered in Canada.”
To add to her career toolbox and be ready for any opportunity, Grace also studied and took the New York bar exam the summer before attending UCLA Law, passing on her first attempt.
Networking
Grace said a pivotal component of her LL.M. study was networking.
“I was able to build relationships with professors who helped me open doors to conversations with big lawyers in the industry with strong careers,” she said. “I had about 30 informational interviews, meeting with different people about entertainment and how to be successful.”
Grace said those doors opened only because she was able to build relationships and network within the university environment.
“Whether it was UCLA Entertainment Symposium or receiving introductions, this was essential to the evolution of my career and also helped me figure out what I wanted to do next,” she said.
Access to externship opportunities was another essential component.
“I worked a few days a week at Warner Bros. Entertainment, a position made possible with a recommendation from a professor,” Grace said.
She worked in the digital distribution department reading contracts to determine if digital rights could be traced back to contracts from the 1940s, ’50s and ’60s.
“It’s wild to think that was my job,” Grace said. “I spent hours and hours trying to figure this out.”
She said the externship with Warner Bros. Entertainment was the jumping off point for her future in digital media.
“Networking and externships made the LL.M. experience beneficial for me,” Grace said.
Clear, defined goals
She cautioned that getting an extra degree such as an LL.M. will not automatically land you a job.
“You must put in the hours, put in the work, be willing to start at the bottom and work your way up,” she said. “I had an entry level legal job when I graduated with the LL.M.”
It’s not uncommon for people to pursue an LL.M. to take a break from their current jobs in law firms where they are working more than 40 hours a week, Grace said.
“I heard from several of my colleagues in the LL.M. program that they were going to do this for a year and have fun, learn something new, stretch their minds, be refreshed and go home to be happier at work,” she said. “I believe the LL.M. provided this needed break from the daily grind in the law firm; it worked for them.”
Grace stressed the importance of having clear, defined goals.
“It depends on a person’s goals as to what an LL.M. can do for them or help them achieve,” she said. “It’s about having the right mindset and being purposeful.”
After completing her LL.M. in 2012, Grace passed the California bar exam.
“I studied about three months, taking the bar prep courses to prepare me for the exam,” she said.”
She said it’s important to be committed to the study time.
“Taking the bar and passing is another tool to be ready and not be limited in opportunities,” she said.
Grace has been working at Amazon for eight years. She is currently the head of Amazon Prime Video for Canada, Australia and New Zealand.
“I run the overall business, customer offerings and local content and marketing,” she said. “I have teams in Toronto, Los Angeles and Sydney, Australia. We are focused on building a video experience that resonates with local customers through content marketing and local engagement.”
Grace said she loves being able to deliver an experience that surprises and delights people.
“Working in entertainment is a real privilege,” she said. “It’s a very competitive industry.”
Grace summed up her legal journey: “I followed my passion, charted a course to earn a J.D., worked during the summers, took bar exams to bolster my experience, earned an LL.M., networked, and participated at every level to work my way up the career ladder in entertainment and intellectual property law.
“I’m where I’m supposed to be.”
