Steve Sessa is a leading expert in the music industry, renowned for his mastery in catalog acquisitions and copyright law. As the co-chair of the Entertainment & Media Industry Group at Reed Smith, Steve advises major and independent music publishing companies, record labels, and private equity-backed financial buyers on the purchase of copyrights, music-related assets, and revenue streams.

Steve has represented some of the biggest names in the music business. Serving as outside counsel for Concord Music since 2005, he has led all of Concord’s major acquisitions, including those of Phil Collins and Genesis, Round Hill, Downtown Music, Imagem, and Pulse, among hundreds of other high-profile transactions.

His expertise extends to advising significant buyers like Lyric Financial, Kobalt, Iconic Artist Group (Irving Azoff), Shamrock Capital Advisors, Seeker, Hipgnosis Songs Fund, HarbourView Equity, Litmus, Opus, Flexpoint Ford, and all three major music publishers.

On the sell-side, Steve has represented legendary songwriters in some of the most notable catalog sales, including deals for Stargate, Will Jennings, The Estate of Thelonious Monk, Ali Tamposi, and Phil Lawrence. Whether facilitating the sale of the Taylor Swift catalog or securing rights for The Beach Boys, clients value Steve’s deep knowledge of copyright law and his practical, problem-solving approach in deals totaling billions of dollars.

Beyond catalog acquisitions, Steve has been a top talent lawyer for 30 years, representing superstar artists like Bon Jovi, Beyoncé, Jay Z, Cardi B, Korn, Megadeth, Muse, and Blackpink. His expertise also benefits technology companies, digital platforms, brands, and entertainment entities seeking to collaborate with artists and talent. Also, Steve has been retained by the NFL for years to negotiate and finalize talent agreements for Super Bowl performances.