Martin J. Machat
In the 1950s, when prominent law firms routinely refused to represent Black entertainers, Marty Machat stepped forward. He represented James Brown, Sam Cooke, Dinah Washington, Brook Benton, Sugar Ray Robinson, and Clyde Otis — entering venues through back doors due to racial segregation.
Marty expanded globally during the British Invasion, negotiating contracts for the Rolling Stones, The Who, The Kinks, Genesis, Phil Collins, Peter Gabriel, Electric Light Orchestra, Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons, Sly and the Family Stone, The Platters, and Leonard Cohen. He was known as a fierce litigator who sued powerful record companies to recover artists' royalties and free them from exploitative contracts.
The Craft of the Contract
Michael was trained directly by his father in contract negotiation and drafting — before word processors, before automated legal software. In that era, every clause was hand-selected. Every agreement was bespoke.
This stands in sharp contrast to contemporary entertainment lawyers who rely on bloated "kitchen sink" boilerplate templates. Michael continues his father's tradition: contracts built for the specific artist, not pulled from a template library. Record company audits to ensure fair accounting. And the willingness to go to court when royalties aren't paid.
From London to the Supreme Court
Michael spent seven years in London managing Seal, Adamski, and Guru Josh during the rave and house music explosion. "Killer" topped the European charts under his management. He married British rock musician and writer Lisa Dominique.
Today, Michael continues to practice at the highest levels of music copyright law. He represents Johannsongs-Publishing in a Supreme Court petition alleging the hit song "You Raise Me Up" copied a 1977 Icelandic composition. Two generations, same mission: ensuring creators are paid for their genius.