For more than 20 years Ralph G. De Palma III has provided legal services to clients in the entertainment industries. Ralph regularly handles all types of music industry agreements, film and television production agreements, talent agreements, licenses, financing arrangements, theater production, intellectual property acquisitions and dispositions, film, television and music distribution agreements and trademark prosecutions.

Representative clients have included: Aerosmith, Backstreet Boys, Carly Simon, Bill Wyman, Little Steven, Paula Abdul, BMG Music Publishing, Sony Music Entertainment, Cherry Lane Music, EMI Music Publishing, Russell Simmons, Musiq Soulchild, Ashford & Simpson, Syleena Johnson, Hot Tuna, Jim Steinman, and others.

Representative television shows and films include: The Taste, Betty White’s Off Their Rockers, R&B Divas, King of Dirt, American Idol, Trailer Fabulous, The Sopranos, Cursed, The Cove, The Betrayal, Love The Hard Way, and countless pilots and presentations.

Ralph is also an Adjunct Professor of Entertainment Law at Brooklyn Law School, a frequent lecturer at the Practicing Law Institute, Fordham University Law School and the NYU Film School.

Ralph understands the business of entertainment. Prior to law school he worked in the film industry and as a musician. He began his legal career in Business Affairs at Sony Music, followed by more than a dozen years in the entertainment department of Pryor, Cashman, Sherman & Flynn in New York. Ralph provides comprehensive general counsel services to his clients.

Ralph has also prosecuted numerous trademark applications, office actions and appeals before the United States Patent &Trademark Office. He advises clients in connection with complex copyright, trademark and domain name disputes, litigation and copyright reversions.

Ralph graduated from New York University, School of Law, Brooklyn Law School and New York University, Tisch School of the Arts. He has a B.F.A. in Film and Television Production, a Juris Doctor degree, and LL.M degrees in both Corporation Law and Taxation.