Aspiring Entertainment Lawyer Secures Internship with Elite Agency CMG
Mikaela Grumbach ’20 is spending her summer as a law clerk intern at rights-management agency CMG Worldwide. Some of CMG's most notable clients include James Dean and Bettie Page; civil rights leaders like Malcolm X and Rosa Parks; sports stars like Andre the Giant and Jackie Robinson; literary influencers like Maya Angelou and Mark Twain; and many more.
Q: HOW DID YOU LAND YOUR SUMMER JOB?
A: I heard about the open legal internship position at CMG Worldwide through Loyola's Entertainment and Sports Law Society, which informs its club members about entertainment-related job openings. As soon as I received the email from our club about the position, I sent my application materials.
Q: WHAT IS THE MOST INTERESTING PART OF YOUR JOB?
A: The most interesting part of my job so far has been diving into what it really means to be an entertainment lawyer. CMG Worldwide represents a plethora of different legends – from Malcom X to James Dean to Neil Armstrong. Each client is unique in their own way and each have important intellectual property rights that CMG Worldwide works hard to uphold. It has been fascinating learning how notable icons retain these important rights even after their death.
Q: WHAT HAS BEEN THE MOST CHALLENGING ASSIGNMENT THUS FAR?
A: While I have been challenged every step of the way in my position, the most challenging assignment so far has been drafting a hybrid license and settlement agreement into one coherent contract, which was a novel endeavor.
Q: WHAT NEW LEGAL SKILLS HAVE YOU ACQUIRED DURING YOUR SUMMER JOB?
A: I have acquired many legal skills, including drafting agreements such as license and permission agreements, negotiating those agreements and researching intellectual property rights law.
Q: WHAT LEGAL KNOWLEDGE HAVE YOU BEEN ABLE TO DISPLAY?
A: A piece of legal knowledge that I have been able to display at my job is my understanding of trademark law, which I took last fall. What I learned from that class has definitely come in handy this summer. During the course, I had to become familiar with the Trademark Electronic Search System (TESS). My ability to navigate this system has proved to be valuable. I am currently working on a trademark opposition, and Professor Jennifer Rothman’s thoroughness in teaching the facets of trademark law has been extremely helpful.
Q: HOW HAS LOYOLA HELPED MAP YOUR CAREER PATH?
A: Loyola has helped tremendously in mapping my career through its Career Development Office, networking opportunities and student organizations. I was able to hone in on my goal to become an entertainment lawyer through the guidance of my career counselor, fellow Loyola Entertainment & Sports Law Society board members and attending the variety of networking events Loyola holds on campus.