Sanderson Entertainment Law
2 lawyers · City of Toronto
One of 2,345 law firms listed in Toronto, and one of 195 handling Intellectual Property.
About Sanderson Entertainment Law
Sanderson Entertainment Law is a small Toronto firm that has focused exclusively on arts and entertainment law for more than 40 years, working from an office on Kingston Road in the city's east end. Founder Paul Sanderson started out as a working musician, took various jobs including a stint as a messenger for a downtown Toronto law firm, and then chose law school to help artists win better recognition and rights in the music industry. Before starting to practise, Sanderson wrote "Musicians and the Law in Canada," now in its fourth edition from Thomson Reuters, and co-authored "Artists' Contracts: Agreements for Visual and Media Artists" for CARFAC Ontario. The book's first edition was cited by the Supreme Court of Canada in a 1990 decision.
The firm handles music publishing and recording agreements, live performance contracts, merchandising and endorsement deals, and trademark and copyright registration, along with corporate services such as incorporation and shareholder agreements. It also takes on visual arts, literary, and film and television contract work. Paul Irvine, the firm's entertainment paralegal, joined in 1995, more than a decade after becoming the firm's first musician client in 1983. Jesse Sanderson, the second generation at the firm, studied archaeology at the University of Toronto before earning a law degree at Suffolk University in Boston, and is now licensed to practise in Massachusetts, New York, and Ontario.
Practice areas
Milestones & recognition
- In 1986 Paul Sanderson co-founded ALAS, the Artist Legal Advice Service, which the firm describes as Canada's first summary legal advice service for artists of all disciplines and which still serves about 400 artists a year.
- In 2025 ALAC, the not-for-profit corporation that operates the ALAS service, received the June Callwood Outstanding Award for Voluntarism in Ontario.
- The first edition of Sanderson's book "Musicians and the Law in Canada" was cited by the Supreme Court of Canada in a 1990 decision.
- Sanderson was listed in "The Best Lawyers in Canada" in the Entertainment Law category in 2007, 2010, and 2011, and has repeatedly been listed in the Lexpert legal directory.
- Paul Irvine joined the firm as an entertainment paralegal in August 1995, more than a decade after becoming the firm's first musician client in 1983.
- Jesse Sanderson, the second generation at the firm, was admitted to the bar in Massachusetts in 2022, New York in 2024, and Ontario in 2026.
In the community
- Paul Sanderson has served on the board of ALAC, the not-for-profit that operates the ALAS artist legal advice service, since its inception.
- Sanderson taught at the Metalworks Institute of Sound and Music Production for 20 years, starting when the school opened in 2006.
- Jesse Sanderson sits on the Hand Eye Society's Board of Directors (2025 to present) and judged the Traditional Roots Album category for the 2025 Juno Awards.
- Paul Irvine has volunteered expertise for the Ontario March of Dimes' "Rock for Kids" corporate fundraiser and for the TTC Subway Musicians Auditions, previously held annually at the Canadian National Exhibition.
Good to know
Wheelchair accessibleLawyers 2
This firm’s lawyers at a glance
- Called to the bar
- 2026 · median 0 years in practice 1 of 2 lawyers
- Law schools
- Suffolk University Law School 1 of 2 lawyers
Who handles what
The neighbourhood
The firm's office sits on Kingston Road, the street that forms the northern boundary of the Beaches, a lakeside residential neighbourhood in Toronto's east end known for its Victorian and Edwardian houses and its stretch of boardwalk along Lake Ontario.
The firm's own FAQ page spells out practical details for visiting clients: free parking on Kingston Road until 4 p.m. and on side streets for up to three hours, plus a short bus ride south from Main Street subway station on the Bloor-Danforth line.
Frequently asked questions
- What kind of legal work does Sanderson Entertainment Law do?
- The firm concentrates on music publishing and recording agreements, live performance contracts, merchandising and endorsement deals, and trademark and copyright registration, along with corporate services like incorporation and shareholder agreements for its arts and entertainment clients.
- Does Sanderson Entertainment Law only work with musicians?
- No. Alongside its music practice, the firm handles artist-dealer agreements and commissions for visual artists, author-publisher agreements for writers, and option and performer agreements for film and television clients.
- What are the firm's rates?
- Rates are hourly and vary depending on whether the work is done by the firm's lawyer, its entertainment paralegal, or a student-at-law, with some routine services offered at a flat rate. Contact the firm for an estimate.
- Is there parking near the office on Kingston Road?
- Yes. The firm's FAQ page notes free parking on Kingston Road until 4 p.m., and free parking on the side streets for up to three hours at any time.
- How do I get to the office by transit?
- The office is a short bus ride south of Main Street subway station on the Bloor-Danforth line.
- How long has Sanderson Entertainment Law been practising entertainment law?
- More than 40 years. Founder Paul Sanderson also wrote "Musicians and the Law in Canada," a reference work on Canadian music law that is now in its fourth edition.
Where to find them
577 Kingston Road, Suite 303, Toronto, Ontario M4E 1R3 · 416-971-6616
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