Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Joshua Lastine. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Hi Joshua, thanks for joining us today. We’d love to hear about a time you helped a customer really get an amazing result through their work with you.

Appreciate you joining us today. Risk taking is something we’re really interested in and we’d love to hear the story of a risk you’ve taken.

My journey to Hollywood was very much a “risk”. I am from a small town in Iowa, and
TV/filmmaking is very far removed from anything I knew back home. I moved to Los Angeles in
2011 not knowing anyone. Serendipitously I got in touch with an extended friend of a relative,
who is also an entertainment lawyer, and from there my career just kind of snowballed.

Starting my own law firm was also a big risk; I launched Lastine Entertainment Law during the
pandemic when entertainment had slowed. Thankfully, we worked on a few high-profile projects
early on. Through doing quality and consistent work, we have been able to build a word-of-
mouth reputation for excellence in a short time.

I think “risk taking” is an essential aspect of my career. Being a transactional dealmaker in
Hollywood, I can strategize and plan all I want; but in practice, rarely do things go exactly the
way planned. You must be innovative and take risks to be an effectual dealmaker; and while
most attorneys are “risk adverse”, I am very much “ask for forgiveness, not permission” kind of
guy. Although I do take risks, with my deep industry knowledge and personalized approach, I
take “calculated risks” that still provide guidance and expertise needed to navigate the
intricacies of entertainment law.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.

Like I said, I’m from a small town in Iowa, but my dreams were always much bigger. Like Luke Skywalker, I wanted to take off from “Tatooine” in my X-Wing and conquer the world. I knew
early on I had a passion for law. While in high school, I attended the National Youth Leadership
Forum on Law at Georgetown Law in Washington D.C. where I sat in my first law classes. In
college, I majored in economics but minored in creative writing which is essential to what I do
now. I also took other courses like law and econ, law and psych, and behavioral psychology as
these were courses that I thought would be beneficial to a career in law. Turns out, I was right. I
came to Hollywood in 2011, pursuing my passion for entertainment. I attended Pepperdine Law
School and started my career by landing a job in the music licensing and accounting department
of American Idol. While in law school, I interned for Discovery Network, Lionsgate, and Marvel
Studios, building my credits and credentials. From there, I have worked on several high-profile
TV and film projects, and currently I am the partner/CEO of Lastine Entertainment Law, a
boutique transactional entertainment law firm in Beverly Hills representing creative talent and
studios.

What’s been the most effective strategy for growing your clientele?

Relationships are everything. While connections matter in all walks of life, they are the lifeblood of the entertainment industry. I have learned that genuine connections built on mutual interests
and authentic interactions can lead to a lot of cool work later down the road. So, my advice to
others is simple: meet people, listen to their stories, and foster meaningful relationships.

I’ve also found social media to be very helpful. LinkedIn has been a big part of my business
growth. Connecting with people I wouldn't otherwise know across social platforms has led to
numerous mutually beneficial deals.

Can you share a story from your journey that illustrates your resilience?

I actually think right now is a time of resilience. The industry has had a few rough years with the COVID pandemic and now the WGA and SAG-AFTRA strike. These are the types of challenges
that can shut down companies or hinder talent for good. I was laid off as part of COVID, which
spurred me into starting my own law firm. Destruction breeds creation, and we are thinking
outside the box about what entertainment is and what it means to be an artist. We are now
doing deals for influencers, person-to-person streamers, and PPV-UGC creators. I think being
able to pivot and grow as the industry changes is vital to success at all levels.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://lastineentertainmentlaw.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lastinelaw/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joshua-r-lastine-b3632b42/
• Other: [email protected]