Dan Chisholm

Dan is an experienced media, entertainment, and corporate lawyer with a unique background spanning private practice and the creative industries. He has worked extensively across Australia, New Zealand, and the United States, advising clients in the film, television, music, and broader creative sectors. His focus includes contracts, rights management, licensing, intellectual property, as well as corporate and commercial matters.

Dan began his legal career in New Zealand before transitioning into playing music professionally in Australia. After several years of touring internationally and supporting iconic acts such as The Who, The Cranberries, Counting Crows, and The Darkness, Dan returned to law to combine his deep entertainment industry experience with his legal expertise. His music was featured in a range of high-profile productions, including Australian feature films, Hollywood movies, video games, and mainstream hit television series in the US.

At Cornwalls (EMT Law), Dan draws on this first-hand industry experience to deliver commercially grounded legal advice to entertainers, content creators, and businesses operating at the intersection of creativity, technology, and commerce. His practice spans media and entertainment law, technology, and corporate and commercial advisory.

Dan’s recent experience includes:

• Advising on copyright and intellectual property frameworks, including enforcement, licensing, and transparency issues, as part of a government-commissioned review conducted under an international free trade agreement.
• Advising producers of an award-winning feature documentary on company structuring, investment arrangements, and rights management for international release.
• Appearing in the Supreme Court of New York to represent the youngest-ever New Zealand artist to appear on the US Billboard charts.
• Establishing the licensing framework for a well-being and resilience institute, enabling it to commercialise and share its intellectual property with partner organisations across a range of sectors.
• Advising one of the world’s most influential social media platforms on the legal implications of using recorded local music and cover versions in user-generated content, including assessing licensing requirements.
• Representing a US platinum-certified recording artist in a defamation matter against a major New Zealand media outlet.
• Advising one of Australia’s leading music management companies on management agreements and commercial arrangements for internationally successful recording artists.
• Representing music festivals in a range of legal matters, including securing APRA licenses, ensuring compliance with regulatory requirements, and acting on the sale of their businesses.
• Acting for various globally recognised international artists in relation to their recording agreements, publishing agreements, licensing arrangements, business structures, management agreements, and other commercial matters.
• Negotiating and structuring a series of international distribution agreements for production company in the film industry.
• Mentoring members of a not-for-profit organisation supporting music managers, providing legal advice on a range of issues, including contracts, rights management, and business structures.
• Acting for music label in its unincorporated joint venture with a major international label and advising on rights structure, licensing, and revenue-sharing arrangements.
• Advising a technology start-up on intellectual property protection, user agreements, and capital raising to support its global expansion.
• Advising filmmakers on clearance, chain of title, cast and crew agreements, and broadcaster/distributor contracts for local and international screen projects.
• Acting for live events promoters on commercial contracts, sponsorship arrangements, and artist management for international tours.
• Assisting creatives and entertainment businesses with structuring, shareholder arrangements, and commercial contracts to support sustainable growth.
• Providing governance and compliance advice to film organisations, including funding agreements, board structuring, and charitable status issues.