Meet Max Hass | Entertainment Attorney & Musician

We had the good fortune of connecting with Max Hass and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Max, what was your thought process behind starting your own business?
It goes a little farther back than that: my thought process and approach to enter law school in the first place, which continued when I started my own business a few years later, was to be an advocate for artists. Having been a musician since I was young, and a huge music fan by whole life, I regularly heard and read stories about some of my favorite artists, and some of the legendary talents that have been loved by many, getting exploited, getting bad deals from labels and promoters, and ending up penniless despite having successful songs and records — I knew that something needed to change. It occurred to me early on that there are lots of lawyers working on the “company side” of things – from in-house counsel to big corporate firms that represent labels and other power players — but relatively few attorneys available to advise, counsel, and protect artists.

Then I arrived in New Orleans for law school, and realized that the problems of access to representation are far more pervasive than just at the “national” level that an ordinary music fan might notice. In fact, in cities all over this country, there are artists, musicians, and creators who need help – they may not necessarily have a massive record deal that they need negotiated, but they need guidance on how copyrights work, how to protect themselves with contracts, etc. And if baseline education is lacking, then it’s all that much harder to get up to speed on legal concepts. I saw this firsthand in New Orleans and resolved to start a law practice that is focused on being an advocate for artists first, and to be a law firm that is accessible (financially and from a communication standpoint) to artists.

I’ve since evolved that approach and taken this mentality with me to my my current firm, where I am a partner continuing in the same area of law, but in the context of now having partners and a bit more of a support system around myself. But the underlying philosophy and commitment to artists has not changed.

What should our readers know about your business?
It definitely is not easy becoming an entertainment lawyer with your own practice (whether it be solo or as part of a firm). The biggest challenge, as with any small law practice, is finding clients – and quality clients, at that. Despite what I thought when I first got into it, the work is not as simple as just knowing some musicians and artists. You need to understand what artists are dealing with in their careers and in their industry, and be able to identify those who are serious about setting up and protecting their business – because there are a lot of people who aren’t serious or don’t know what they’re doing, but they’re going to want to eat up a lawyer’s time anyway, because any advice is helpful.

What sets me apart in my practice is that I am a working musician too. I have been on the road, I have produced shows, I have booked tours, I have sent press releases — and I still play gigs, usually at least 1 per week. So I have that as part of my identity, my understanding, and I think my musician clients appreciate that. I think my non-musician creative clients appreciate it too, because they recognize that I have my own artist endeavors and understand what artists are up against, from personal experience, rather than as a spectator.

To get to where I am now, as a partner at a firm with a multi-faceted practice, I needed to remain committed to the goal of making this my career. When I first got my practice started, I was regularly frustrated with how little money it was making, what kinds of clients and work I was getting, but I kept at it because I saw myself becoming a premier entertainment-industry attorney one day. When the client fees weren’t enough to pay the bills, I found side hustles. When being in solo practice got to be too much for me, I found a firm where I could retain the flexibility of a solo practitioner but had some more support services. When that firm stopped being the best place for my practice, I got creative and worked with some of my partners to form a new firm. There have been countless moments throughout the last 8 years that I wanted to give up — but then I picture myself working outside of the music industry and outside of any creative industries…and I just can’t do it. So I’ve found ways to improve my processes, to screen clients better, to increase my fees to make sure I’m getting paid what I’m worth – it’s a constant process of evaluation and adjusting, but it’s worth it if it’s something that you really care about.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
I frankly don’t have a ton of favorite places right in the city – and I think I speak for a lot of us when I say that the city alone is not the main attraction for the greater Denver area. That said, whenever I have had good friends or one of my brothers come visit, I always take them to Pizzeria Lui in Lakewood (I’m from New York and can safely say that Lui is some of the best pizza I’ve ever had…not just the best pizza in Colorado). I’m also a big fan of Bardo Coffee shop (all three locations) and I have some out of town friends who now still rave about it. For a burger, Cherry Cricket is the way to go. During baseball season, I always recommend a home Rockies game – it’s a great ballpark to watch games, and cheaper than most other major cities, so it’s always a good option. Red Rocks Park, Mt. Galbraith, other hiking areas in Golden and Morrison are perfect if we’re staying close to home. For something a little farther away, I love Nederland, Georgetown, and the Mt. Evans/Mt. Blue Sky area. If it’s ski season, we’re going to Loveland or A Basin.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
I’ve been doing this long enough and in enough different locations that I really need to thank everyone, collectively, who has helped me along the way. My first bandmates in New Orleans, in Maggie Belle Band, gave me my first opportunity to get involved in music professionally, as an adult. My first management client, Calvin Johnson (saxophonist) trusted me to be his manager for my first two years out of law school when I didn’t know what I was doing. The ELLA Project in New Orleans taught me nearly everything I needed to know about practicing entertainment law and working with musicians. Multiple former partners have supported me in connecting me to people I should know, talking me through the hard times, and giving me ideas for how to improve what I’m doing. Brad Egenberg, an attorney in New Orleans, took me under his wing when I needed a part-time job to cover the bills – and then has remained a friend, mentor, and even a client in the years since. My parents have given me so much, in so many different ways, that has allowed me to pursue this career path – not to mention my dad’s entrepreneurial spirit, which definitely lives in me as well. My partner, Danette Hollowell, gives me so much support, brainstorms with me, and helps me strategize how to improve what I do. And I also need to give thanks to my brothers and my close friends from college, who have served as sounding boards for all my different crazy ideas. For those who are interested in this career path – or even just working in the music business in general – I have to give a shoutout to the book All You Need To Know About the Music Business by Donald Passman. A truly indispensable guide.

Website: https://www.hassentertainment.biz

Instagram: @maxhassesq, @hasstopher, @halfmaxx

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/maximillanhass

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/hasstopher

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6hCR4vWCrxc&list=PLi5qKOggC9gmcXKO0XeaRxlCwIzpyxhF4

Other: https://www.holonlaw.com

Image Credits
Photographer for all three images: Mysti Lee Tatro