Billboard Names Richard Mandel a 2026 Top Music Industry Lawyer
Cowan, Liebowitz & Latman is pleased to announce that partner Richard Mandel has been selected for inclusion in Billboard's 2026 Top Music Lawyers list, published on July 20, 2026. Billboard’s Top Music Lawyers list recognizes the attorneys whose legal counsel is helping guide artists, record labels, music publishers, executives, investors, and other key participants in today's rapidly evolving music industry.
Richard Mandel, who heads the firm's Litigation & Dispute Resolution Group, has more than 40 years of experience handling complex intellectual property disputes involving copyrights, trademarks, unfair competition, false advertising, licensing, rights of publicity, and emerging technologies. He regularly represents major entertainment and music industry clients in high-profile litigation and enforcement matters. Among his recent music-related matters, Richard has represented leading music industry publishers in significant copyright litigation involving artificial intelligence and the use of copyrighted lyrics and musical works in AI model training, an area that Billboard identified as one of the most important legal challenges facing the music business today. This recognition reflects Richard's longstanding commitment to protecting and advancing the intellectual property rights of clients across the entertainment industry and reinforces Cowan, Liebowitz & Latman's reputation as a trusted advisor to companies and creators whose brands and content shape popular culture.
