Primary Team

Michael Sukin
Attorney

Chambers U.S.A. (the leading rating reference for attorneys) ranks Michael amongst the top attorneys in media entertainment, referring to him as a “gifted lawyer of rare experience in music issues” and stating that “he is a lawyer who understands the music industry backwards, inside out and upside down.” He is widely regarded as a world expert in music business matters.

Michael handles high level music business transactions, copyright, image and likeness issues in North America, Europe, Japan, and Latin America. He has been a key player in the acquisition and sale of major music entities. He's negotiated major transactions in musical theatre and worked on many film projects.

He was a prime mover in the enactment of the Sonny Bono Copyright Extension Act in the U.S., and spearheaded music-related legislation in the European Union and Japan. In the course of his activities, Michael worked extensively with collecting societies and trade organizations in the United States, Western and Eastern Europe and the Far East, and represented a number of the CMOs.

Michael was raised in a music publishing family and has devoted his career to music publishing, the recording industry, and musical theatre.

He is a graduate of Cornell University, magna cum laude, and of the Stanford University Law School, where he served on the Board of Visitors. Michael studied at and holds a Certificate from the Insitut d’Etudes Politiques in France. He is fluent in the French language.

Michael was awarded the President’s Medal from the Country Music Association and is a founding Director of the International Association of Entertainment Lawyers, which has grown to a widespread, global membership. He is a member of the Pressman Film Company's Advisory Board. He has written and lectured widely in the United States and Europe and appeared as an expert on news shows including the BBC World; he has been quoted as an expert in periodicals including The Financial Times, The Wall Street Journal, Variety, Billboard, Music Week and The New York Times.

Michael is a member of the bar in New York State, in the Southern District of New York, and in Tennessee.

A short clip of Michael discussing
the European Societies

More Videos

Why Copyright is Worth Protecting The Worldwide Challenges to Music Licensing in the Digital Era How Laws to Protect Creators are Enacted in the U.S. and Elsewhere Master Class in the EU’s Term Directive, and More Master Class on Digital Music Licensing in the U.S.

Doug Colton
Attorney

Doug has backgrounds in the broadest-possible range of the music business, giving him, as an attorney, a uniquely distinctive perspective. He's been a songwriter and touring artist and the president of a chart-topping Nashville music publisher. His combined knowledge of these worlds — creative, publishing, business and, of course, legal — arm him with a sure understanding of all stakeholders' issues and needs.

A Sukin Colton Law principal, Doug has handled countless transactions on behalf of domestic and international songwriters, artists, producers, heirs, estates, trusts, publishing and record companies, banks and other financiers, managers and business entities for over 25 years.

With unique expertise in copyright and all other music-related rights and income streams, he advises clients throughout the world on how to protect, exploit, and monetize their rights. Doug is particularly versed in reversions, terminations, acquisitions, mergers, and financing transactions, often representing the world's best-known and most-revered music catalogs. He has helped spearhead SCLA's innovative work in global and domestic catalog sales and acquisitions. Doug authored the Amicus Brief of The Nashville Songwriters Association International to the U.S. Supreme Court in support of U.S. copyright extension.

Doug is a graduate of Vanderbilt Law School and holds a B.A. from the University of Washington.

Adina Schecter
Attorney

Adina's love of music and theatre began as a young child, and she gives voice to these passions through her law practice. She joined Sukin Law Group, the predecessor to Sukin Colton Law Association, over two decades ago, and has been an integral member of the firm ever since.

Her experience spans many disciplines. Adina negotiates a wide range of music publishing, recording and production agreements for theatre and film for the firm's clients. She has spearheaded and negotiated complex, multimillion-dollar transactions for both buyers and sellers of sizeable music publishing and master recording catalogues. She oversees due diligence and royalty examinations, conducts contractual and copyright analyses and the valuation of intellectual properties, and has been successful in the reclamation of rights to compositions in prominent music publishing catalogues throughout the world, including by catalogue “repair”.

Adina holds a Juris Doctor degree from the Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law in New York City. On graduation, she began her career at Warner Music International and Atlantic Recording Corporation, where one of her primary responsibilities was for Nonesuch Records, a jewel in the music industry, where she remained until joining Sukin Law.

Greg Beeckman
Paralegal

Greg is an intellectual property and music rights-specialist paralegal at SCLA.

Originally from Michigan, Greg graduated from Berklee College of Music with a B.A. in Songwriting. Following graduation, he joined the Business Affairs team at Beverly Hills-based music publisher Windswept Pacific Entertainment. Over time, Greg's interests changed from songwriting to music publishing. In Windswept’s Business Affairs department, he gained invaluable expertise and knowledge in the legal and business affairs aspects of music publishing through various positions, including Vice President of Business Affairs. As VP, he was responsible for negotiating and drafting the majority of the company's music publishing contracts.

Greg relocated to Nashville, where he continued to serve as VP until the sale of Windswept. He went on to work as a music publishing consultant for firms including Bug Music, BMG Rights Management, Arthouse Entertainment, Nettwerk One Music (Canada) Ltd., Combustion Music, and Southside Independent Music Publishing.

In 2013, Greg met Doug Colton and has been a member of the SCLA team ever since.

In his personal time, Greg is an avid marathon runner as well as a designer and builder of furniture, cabinetry, decorative arts and weekend-warrior home projects.

Becky Pommer-Jones
Paralegal

Becky has a long history in music publishing and administration. Her extensive knowledge in music rights administration and copyright have been a great benefit to SCLA since she joined the team in 2018.

Becky's experience includes working in copyright for over a decade for music publisher Tree Publishing. She worked through the transition to CBS and from CBS to Sony/ATV Music Publishing, where she rose to become Manager of Copyright. Becky then started her own independent music publishing administration company, which found its way to the Top 10 Country Publisher Airplay Charts, administering the catalogs of Hillary Lindsey, Deana Carter, Aimee Mayo, Holly Williams, Angelo Petraglia, Jimmy Ritchey, Jeffrey Steele, Chuck Cannon, Scotty Emerick and Chuck Jones, among others.

Outside the office, Becky is most likely to be hiking, cycling, and generally enjoying the outdoors.

Maggie Downs
Paralegal

Maggie is a seasoned music business consultant with over a decade of experience providing support to songwriters and music industry organizations. With her laser focus on detail, exceptional research skills and strong musicality, Maggie excels at bringing critical insights and strategic recommendations to the firm's work and clients.

She's been an integral, invaluable member of the Sukin Colton Law team since 2021.

Maggie holds a Bachelor of Science in Music Industry from Troy University, with a minor in Business Administration, emphasis in Marketing. She's been a piano instructor for over 20 years, sharing her passion for music one-on-one to students of all ages. Sukin Colton Law, and its clients, benefit from her passionate commitment to empowering individual clients and organizations to thrive in the music world.