Senior entertainment lawyer Marcus Walkom understands the “trials and tribulations” in the music industry having been a musician himself.
Previously a lead guitarist in an indie rock band, he is putting that experience into practice, founding and launching Walkom Entertainment Lawyers, an independent music and entertainment law practice in Brisbane.
The firm opens its doors with a high-profile client roster spanning Grammy and ARIA Award-winning artists.
“Being a musician gave me an initial understanding of the industry that you can’t necessarily learn unless you’ve experienced it firsthand,” Mr Walkom said.
“I spent years playing in bands trying to build some form of a career as a musician (before reality kicked in as it was never going to happen), so I understand the trials and tribulations that come with being an artist, at least at any early stage.
“That coupled with my experience managing artists, has been incredibly valuable as a lawyer in the music industry. Not only can I now relate to the position many clients are in, but it gave me the initial grounding and contacts in the music industry that has become indispensable when providing legal advice and context for that advice.”
He has set a goal for himself and Walkom Entertainment Lawyers, is to be an “invaluable resource, partner and trusted advisor for our clients”.
“The lived experiences within the industry allow us to really relate to our clients and advocate on their behalf with a deeper understanding of their needs and desires,” he said, with Lauren Holyoak, who is also a musician and self-managed artist, also joining the firm.
“There’s many nuances of this industry that take years to properly grasp and cannot be learned at law school or from a textbook.
“The experience at the coalface of the music industry also taught me that careers in this industry are built on relationships, reputation and collaboration.
“The best outcome isn’t necessarily about ‘winning’ every point in a negotiation; it’s about getting the right deal done, protecting your client and preserving the relationships they’ll need throughout their career.
“The industry is far too small and memories run deep so ensuring that your engagements with others at all levels, be it the doorman at a small club to the global head of a major record label, are respectful and – where possible – collaborative, will assist in an industry that can be challenging at times.
“I certainly wasn’t good enough at playing guitar to make a career out of it, but it ultimately led me to a part of the music industry where I found I could make a real contribution.”
Current clients include Wolfmother, The Teskey Brothers, Tigerlilly, The Amity Affliction, Electric Fields, Daine, Dan Gorringe, Drax Project, Young Franco, Untitled Group, King Stingray and Hollow Coves.
The firm launch follows Mr Walkom’s 15-plus years specialising in music and entertainment law, including his previous role as a Partner and founder of the Brisbane office of Media Arts Lawyers before its closure in July 2026.
“All good things come to an end and after more than 25 years (14 of my career) Media Arts Lawyers called it a day,” he said.
“It left an incredible legacy in the local and global industry and I’m proud to have been a part of the firm and helping build that legacy for some of that time.
“Music has become incredibly global. An Australian artist can be negotiating with a US label, a UK publisher, a European booking agent and brand partners in Asia at the same time.
“MAL’s dissolution gave me the opportunity to pursue something I’d been wanting to do for some time: I wanted to build a firm that could sit in Australia but genuinely operate at that international level – combining high-level legal and commercial advice with deep industry relationships and an understanding of how careers and creative businesses are actually built.”
Mr Walkom also saw the firm’s dissolution as “an opportunity to rethink the traditional lawyer-client relationship”.
“Particularly in music, I think the best lawyers increasingly act as strategic advisers. We’re obviously there to negotiate and protect our clients, but we’re also helping them think about where the market is going, connecting them with the right people and helping them make decisions that can shape the next 10 years of their career rather than simply the deal immediately in front of them,” he said.
“That was really the idea behind Walkom Entertainment Lawyers: take the experience and global network I’ve developed over my career and build a firm around that approach.”
In addition to his legal practice, Mr Walkom maintains active leadership roles across the creative sector as the founder of management company and record label We Are Golden, and as a board member of the Association of Artist Managers and the Gold Coast Music Alliance.
Mr Walkom will join the Who Owns This Image panel at BIGSOUND – the Southern Hemisphere’s largest music conference – on Thursday, 3 September.
The discussion will navigate copyright, trademark law, and the ownership of music imagery, delving into the legal and creative boundaries between artists, labels, photographers, and media.
Share this article