Jay Smith      he / him

Of Counsel Attorney

✦ Creative outside the box problem and negotiator

✦ Huge sports fan who some may say he is basically an unpaid member of his favorite teams!

✦ Accomplished academically and process really world business experience

Jonathan Smith, or Jay as he’s often called, is your trustworthy guide in the worlds of entertainment, sports, and business law. Based in Los Angeles, Jay brings a wealth of experience in film, music, television, publishing, art, and new media legal services. Besides his skill set and experience, his warmth and personable and accessible approach to law is noteworthy.

A licensed California attorney, Jay’s expertise spans entertainment and sports transactions, art transactions, commercial transactions, estate planning, copyright, trademark, and corporate law. Jay has represented small business owners, artists, actors, musicians, writers, directors, entertainers, talent managers, motion picture companies, streaming companies, producers, production companies, new media content creators, and record labels. Known for his fierce negotiation and creative problem-solving skills, Jay enjoys working with clients to better understand their options and loves to help craft creative solutions to all kinds of issues.

Jay’s legal journey began in the city of Irvine California, at Western State College of Law, where he earned honors for Academic Excellence in Legal Writing and Research. During his time at Western State, he was an active member of the Black Law Student Association and the Entertainment & Sports Law Society. Prior to law school, Jay earned a Bachelor of Science Degree in Business Marketing from California State Polytechnic University, Pomona, and also received an Associate’s Degree in Business Administration from Mount San Antonio College with honors.

Jay’s diverse entertainment industry background as an actor, model, and talent manager combined with his experience in insurance, finance, and business provide a unique blend of experiences he brings with him as a business and intellectual property law attorney. Jay sees business law as a way to empower people of all backgrounds. By helping creative entrepreneurs create and grow their businesses, he is helping them establish the foundation for generational stability, wealth, and empowerment. 

While in law school, Jay honed his skills as a business transactions law clerk, assisting clients with business formation structures, purchase and sale agreements, and drafting various business agreements. Right out of law school, he ventured into civil litigation, primarily in fire law and insurance law, where he was involved in the defense of various multinational companies and participated in numerous settlements.

When not doing legal work, Jay loves spending time with his family and friends. He’s an avid sports enthusiast and enjoys playing and watching basketball, football, golf, boxing, and tennis. Jay is also passionate about mentoring his community and spends a great deal of time speaking to youth about the importance of goal setting for academia, business, and life.