Our Team
William Bee Ravenel Lewis, Owner
Licensed in New York, South Carolina and Tennessee, Will has practiced law as a litigator and transactional lawyer for twenty four years, and is an Adjunct Professor of Entertainment Law at The College of Charleston (2013- ). He holds the highest attorney peer rating (AV) by Martindale Hubbell.
Will has served as Chief Legal Officer for a fifteen thousand employee company and its subsidiaries, overseeing legal aspects of multi-million dollar acquisitions and other transactions, assisting with cyber security policy development and implementation, resolving commercial disputes, and negotiating countless commercial agreements. He continues to provide legal advice to, and representation of, private investment companies, banks and other commercial entities.
Will's practice focuses additionally upon representation (and thoughtful education) of musicians, performing artists, video production companies, music venues, independent film production companies, and other entities in the music, film, and television industries. He also engages in all forms of music and film contract negotiations, resolution of licensing issues, obtaining clearances, copyright and trademark registration, and general entertainment and business legal counseling.
Will earned a Bachelor of Arts in History, cum laude, from the University of South Carolina in 1991 while on a four year baseball scholarship, graduating a member of Phi Beta Kappa. Prior to attending law school, Mr. Lewis worked at King World Productions in Los Angeles, California followed by a year of teaching Middle East Politics and World History at Walwourth Barbour American International School in Kfar Shmaryahu, Israel. In 1995, Mr. Lewis earned a Juris Doctor from the University of South Carolina School of Law where he was a member of the Order of Wig and Robe.
He is admitted to practice before the United States Supreme Court, the 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, the U.S. District Court for the District of South Carolina, the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York, and all New York, South Carolina and Tennessee State Courts.
Outside of the practice of law, Will also is a musician (guitar/piano/saxophone/vocals), private pilot, three time Ironman Triathlon finisher (Wisconsin, Florida and Mont Tremblant), former Division I NCAA college baseball player for The University of South Carolina Gamecocks, and an avid golfer and sailor.
Contact:
Direct: 615 953 9422
Shawna R. Hilleary, Of Counsel
Shawna 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, producers, managers, production companies, start-up companies, and other media entities.
Shawna started her career at Restless Records where within two years she was promoted to head the Business and Legal Affairs department. During her tenure at Restless Records, Shawna 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, Shawna co-founded Artist Law Group, an entertainment law boutique with offices in Los Angeles and Nashville, where she built a diverse entertainment practice. Her clients include Drive-Thru Records, Cornerstone Recording Arts Society, West Aspen Merchandising, Tesla, Secret & Whisper and Davie-Brown Entertainment, and she has worked on award winning motion pictures such as “Rize,” “Riding Giants” and “Coraline.”
Shawna 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, and the Handy Music Festival.
Additionally, Shawna served as legal consultant for “The Musician’s Handbook, A Practical Guide to Understanding the Music Business,” a Billboard Publication.
In addition to her law practice, Shawna serves as Director for the A21 Campaign (East Coast). She also served Director for the 2007 and 2008 Nashville Screenwriters Conference.
Contact:
Direct: 615 627 6988