On June 29, 2026, Rachel Stilwell was honored with the Ed & Al Award at the 2026 Recording Industry Golf & Poker Tournament at Sand Canyon Country Club. The award is named for Ed Cherney and Al Schmitt — two of the most revered recording engineers of all time, and two of the most beloved […]
Stilwell Law is proud to announce that its founder, Rachel Stilwell, has been named to Billboard magazine’s 2026 Top Music Lawyers list, marking her eighth consecutive year receiving this prestigious recognition. The annual list honors leading attorneys whose work helps shape the music industry and advance the interests of artists, creators, and music businesses. Rachel’s continued inclusion […]
Photo: Curtis McElhinney As debates over media consolidation heat up in Washington, the musicFIRST Coalition is taking action to protect the future of truly local radio. In this article, Music Connection highlights musicFIRST’s new campaign urging the Federal Communications Commission to maintain current FM ownership limits—rules that help preserve independent voices, local DJs, and music […]
On Friday, September 20, 2024, Rachel Stilwell filed an Amicus Brief before the Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals on behalf of her clients the musicFIRST Coalition and Future of Music Coalition. Rachel teamed up with co-author Cheryl Leanza from law firm Best, Best & Krieger, LLP, to argue that the Court should uphold the Federal […]
To check out this video podcast with host Karen Dunn and guest Rachel Stilwell about music law applied to Pro Audio professionals, click here.
PUBLIC RADIO'S WINNING STRATEGY: MUSIC DICOVERY By Elias Leight "A handful of public radio stations dedicated to playing new singles have enjoyed notable ratings bumps in recent years." “As consolidated commercial radio conglomerates have sacrificed localism and diverse playlists in the interest of severely slashing jobs in recent years, it is no surprise that music […]
Rachel Stilwell was quoted in Rolling Stone in an article about the legalities of Taylor Swift rerecording sound recordings of her back catalog of musical compositions. Rachel explained common clauses in recording agreements that often prohibit rerecording of tracks recently released, and that there are usually limits on the number of years that such rerecording restrictions apply. Click […]
In the year preceding his untimely death, Prince forbade audience members from videotaping his live performances. Since then, artists such as Childish Gambino, Guns 'N Roses, Alicia Keys and The Lumineers each have required audience members to temporarily forfeit use of their mobile devices by placing them in locked pouches during their concerts. Fans may have mixed reactions to an artist banning video camera use during concerts, […]
