Bio

Shawna R. Hilleary is a transactional attorney licensed in California and Tennessee. Her practice encompasses all aspects of the entertainment, arts and media industries, including record companies, publishing companies, artists, songwriters, authors, screenwriters, producers, managers, production companies, start-up companies, content creators,  influencers, actors, hosts, esports, crypto-art and blockchain technology, and other media entities.  

Ms. Hilleary started her career at Restless Records in 1999, where within two years she was promoted to Director, Business and Legal Affairs. During her tenure at Restless Records, Ms. Hilleary was responsible for handling all legal and business matters and took an active role in the strategic decision making process involved in running a record label.  After leaving Restless Records, Ms. Hilleary co-founded Artist Law Group, an entertainment law boutique with offices in Los Angeles and Nashville, where she built a diverse entertainment practice. In 2010, she established Hilleary Law where her business experience, creative negotiating skills, and attention to detail are an asset to her clients.  

Ms. Hilleary is a member of the California Bar Association, the Tennessee Bar Association, Source, The Copyright Society of the South, and the American Bar Association’s Forum on the Entertainment and Sports Industries.  She is also a published author and frequent speaker at industry events and educational seminars including South By Southwest, Mob Fest, California Lawyers for the Arts; Ruach Music Ministry, Lipscomb, MTSU, the Handy Music Festival, and the Charleston Music Confab.  Additionally, she served as legal consultant for “The Musician’s Handbook, A Practical Guide to Understanding the Music Business,” a Billboard Publication. 

Ms. Hilleary served as Director for the 2007 and 2008 Nashville Screenwriters Conference. She also helped fight human trafficking by serving as Legal Director for the A21 Campaign (East Coast) 2013- 2014.

EDUCATION

University of Kansas, School of Law, J.D.

• Appellate Advocacy Teaching Assistant 
• KU Sports and Entertainment Law Society (founding Vice-President) 
• Law School Ambassador 

Lipscomb University, Rule 31 Civil Mediation

University of Cambridge, Study Abroad Law Program, Cambridge, UK

University of Kansas, B.A. Psychology

Publications:

• Legal Consultant, The Musician’s Handbook:  A Practical Guide To Understanding The Music Business, by Bobby Borg, Billboard Books 
• Author, Cyber-Dilution: Protecting Domain Names under the Federal Dilution Act of 1995, Cyberspace Law Journal, May 1998