Tres is focused on the right things - those that matter. Many attorneys are too out-of-touch with the realities of business and focus on the wrong things. Tres gets it done in a friendly but firm and fair way on the material issues - how you are paid, protection against liability and ensuring you're not being taken advantage of. Tres knows that being reasonable and fair are in the client's best interest. He helps his clients determine what is really important to them, and achieves those results on time and on budget. Tres is a closer, known for working through complex issues with urgency, thoughtfulness, empathy and honesty.
Notable legal career achievements include:
- Negotiated industry-wide agreements with ASCAP, BMI and SESAC on behalf of U.S. commercial radio broadcasters in his role on the executive committee of the Radio Music License Committee.
- Appeared on panels and testified as a witness in front of the U.S. Department of Justice in connection with inquiries into the music licensing system in the United States.
- Negotiated a significant station swap agreement between the largest commercial radio broadcasters, including acting as company witness in front of the U.S. Department of Justice.
- Negotiated and managed all music license agreements, live event production agreements and other media-related business affairs matters for iHeartMedia for almost 10 years.
- Negotiated and managed the first ever direct license agreements between a commercial radio broadcaster (iHeartMedia) and owners of sound recording copyrights, including Warner Music Group and over 20 other independent record labels, for both digital and broadcast radio.
- Developed a strategy to achieve the first-ever rate reduction for licensees in copyright rate court, winning a nearly 30% reduction in rates for commercial radio broadcasters in U.S. Copyright Royalty Board case Webcasting III.
- Negotiated and managed license agreements for one of the first on-demand streaming services, Thumbplay Music.
- Managed business affairs and licensing for one of the first mp3 retailers, eMusic.
- Drafted some of the earliest license agreement forms between the first independent digital music distributor, The Orchard, and the earliest digital service providers and music retailers.
- Negotiated recording and publishing agreements with major record labels / publishers on behalf of a significant recording artist and songwriter.
- Administered the recording agreements and negotiated producer and side artist agreements for Jive Records artists.
- Filed copyright registrations and provided other support for early precedent-setting legal action against digital services Launch Media, Napster and mp3.com on behalf of Zomba Recording Corporation (prior to and during law school).
