Lance Grode
Lance Grode is an American music industry executive and professor at the University of Southern California Law School. He specializes in artists strategy, publishing, legal issues and is regularly interviewed by the mainstream press for insight on the music industry. In addition to being an expert witness in major cases, he also lectures around the country on what students should be doing to make themselves more attractive candidates in the workplace. Grode attended Harpur College (now Binghamton University) in upstate New York before graduating from the Michigan Law School in 1969, where he served as Note & Comment Editor  of the Law Review. After graduation, he worked as senior law clerk to Chief Judge, Joseph C. Zavatt of the Federal District Court (E.D.N.Y) from 1969 to 1971. In 1972 Grode moved to San Francisco and practiced criminal law with the firm of Hallinan, Blum & Grode. In 1975, he relocated to Los Angeles, working as an associate and later a partner in the firm of Hardee, Barovick, Konecky & Braun. Grode's clients included Bob Dylan, Michael Jackson, The Eagles, Neil Diamond, George Harrison, Jimmy Buffett, and Donna Summer. In 1983, Grode joined the business affairs department of MCA Records ultimately  becoming the head of business and legal affairs for the MCA Music Group (now the UMG). In 1992, he became the EVP of MCA Music Publishing (now Universal Music Publishing). From 1997 to 2006 Grode was the EVP of Business Affairs for 20th Century For Films, responsible for overseeing all the music business aspects of the film company. He recently was profiled on the largest non profit organization for the music industry Artists House Music funded by Herb Alpert founder of A&M Records.