*Reprinted courtesy of the Daily Collegian
Music has pulsed through Hayden Harlow’s veins since he was a kid, and he took that to Penn State as a competitive swimmer. While focusing on laps in the pool, he also enrolled in the Bellisario College of Communications as a Public Relations Major knowing that he in some way wanted to promote the music he’d always loved.
“I’ve always been interested in music and entertainment and promoting new artists,” says Harlow, now a second-year law student at University of Miami School of Law.
He especially appreciates how Penn State prepared him for a professional career after his undergraduate studies. “Bellisario College prepares you to be a professional and so did the Student Athlete Welfare team – they prepare you for the outside world after college.”
Internships in undergrad with entities like A24 production Co. cemented Harlow’s interest in a career in law that would in some way intersect with the entertainment industry. “In that internship I had to talk to attorneys in the music and entertainment space and that got me thinking that that might be a career path for me.”
The Path to Music Law in Miami
“When I was searching for law school specializing in music law, University Miami came up again and again,” says Harlow. What really drew him in was the joint degree in law and music industry with University of Miami’s Frost School of Music – rated a top music business school by Billboard in 2022.
As for what Harlow may do after law school, the possibilities are wide. “I’m interested in things like an in-house label or media conglomerate or to be a liaison for an entertainment-related company where I can sign artists, produce deals.”
Advice to Penn State Undergrads – Network to Find a Path
Penn State’s emphasis on networking right off the bat paid off, and Harlow started working connections on LinkedIn early on. “LinkedIn is a great way to tap into your school’s alumni base and speak to people to understand their career paths,” says Harlow.
His internship during his law school summer of 2022 illustrates this – he clerked at the premier firm of Podhurst Orsek doing behind the scenes research on important cases. For summer 2023 Harlow hopes to take what he learns in his current courseload – Music Copyright, Music Publishing, Patent Law, and Transactional Skills – and apply it.
“My other advice would be to decide what area of law you’d like to see yourself in and then research those schools and understand what that career path looks like.”
Of course, he also adds undergrads shouldn’t forget the basics for those considering law school. “Study for the LSAT and prepare.”
