Podcasting and the Law: Avoiding Legal Pitfalls with Gordon Firemark

In this episode, Gordon Firemark joins me to discuss podcasting and the law, and how to avoid legal pitfalls. 

Gordon Firemark helps creatives, artists, entrepreneurs and others achieve the dream of getting their messages out and making a meaningful impact with their craft. He has practiced media, entertainment and business law since 1992. His practice covers film, television, theater, publishing and digital media as well as copyrights, trademarks, trade secrets and business structures and formations. 

Often referred to as The Podcast Lawyer™, Gordon is a podcaster as well as a lawyer for creators. He’s been producing and hosting the Entertainment Law Update podcast since 2009. And more recently a livestream and podcast entitled “Legit Podcast Pro” Gordon is also the author of the Podcast, Blog & New Media Producer’’s Legal Survival Guide and creator of several online courses for creatives and entrepreneurs. 

His undergraduate degree in radio, television and film and experience in live theater production informs his thinking about all things legal. In addition to his busy law practice, he teaches Entertainment Law at Columbia College Hollywood and Intellectual Property and Media Law at Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising.

Gordon gives listeners actionable tips on:

• [1:30] How Gordon did you get started with podcasting
• [3:40] How podcasting has evolved over the years
• [4:50] Most common mistakes people make starting their podcast
• [5:40] Why is copyright and trademark important and why does it affect podcasting 
• [8:15] The two sided coin of copyright
• [9:50] How podcast distribution works
• [12:35] Release agreements for guests
• [14:50] Journalism vs. marketing and promotion
• [17:40] The responsibility to fact check your guest
• [19:40] The line with privacy when talking about clients and your wins
• [22:55] Disclosing podcast ads on your show
• [26:10] Big mistakes people should be aware of
• [27:30] ​​Attorney advertising rules
• [28:40] Gordon’s book review

Resources mentioned in this episode:

• Expert Secrets by Russell Brunson
• Free release form: www.podcastrelease.com 

Connect with Gordon here:

• http://instagram.com/gordonfiremark
• http://twitter.com/gfiremark
• http://linkedin.com/in/gfiremark
• http://facebook.com/gfiremark
• http://thepodcastlawyer.com 

Connect with me

• Instagram
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• Twitter
• Karin on Twitter
• Karin on LinkedIn
• Conroy Creative Counsel on Facebook
• https://conroycreativecounsel.com