Ramona P. DeSalvo
Contact
Phone: (615) 600-4741
Fax: (615) 600-4761
Email: rdesalvo@desalvonashville.com
vCard: Ramona P. DeSalvo
Ms. DeSalvo is a frequent guest speaker on copyright and entertainment law issues, and is available to present to your group. For further information, please email your request or call (615) 600-4741. Several of Ms. DeSalvo’s public presentations are listed below her bio.
BIO
Ramona P. DeSalvo’s practice focuses exclusively in the entertainment industry. Ms. DeSalvo attended the University of California, Berkeley, where she received her B.A. degree in Political Science in 1976. She attended the University of San Francisco law school for two years, transferring to the University of Cincinnati, College of Law upon her appointment as a Fellow at the Morgan Institute for Human Rights. Ms. DeSalvo is admitted to practice in Tennessee, Ohio and California, practicing as a trial attorney for nearly 40 years.
Pursuing her interest in music, Ms. DeSalvo owned a licensed California talent agency and was a concert promoter and personal manager. Ms. DeSalvo maintained offices in Carmel, California and Nashville, Tennessee, making the move to Nashville complete in 1997. She maintained a Music Row law practice for several years before joining the entertainment and litigation sections of a Nashville law firm. She performed transactional entertainment work largely on behalf of songwriters, music publishers, and artists, but primarily was responsible for complex copyright litigation matters including In Re Napster litigation, the Bridgeport Music litigation that addressed cutting edge issues in music sampling (the “George Clinton case”), and the F.B.T. Productions/Eight Mile Style litigation in Michigan and California, addressing, among other things, unauthorized DPD licensing of musical compositions to digital music providers (the “Eminem case”). Ms. DeSalvo represents clients in all aspects of the entertainment industry, including songwriters, producers, independent record labels, recording artists, music educators, music publishers, videographers, photographers, and visual artists, among others.
BAR ADMISSIONS
Tennessee, 1997
California, 1989
Ohio, 1981
U.S. Southern District of Ohio, 1981
U.S. Middle District of Tennessee, 2003
U.S. Eastern District of Tennessee, 2004
U.S. Court of Appeals, 6th Circuit, 2015
HONORS
American Bar Foundation Fellow, 2017
Nashville Bar Foundation Fellow, 2017
BV Distinguished® Martindale-Hubbell, 2006-present
EDUCATION
University of Cincinnati College of Law
Juris Doctor, 1980
University of San Francisco Law School
San Francisco, California 1977-79
Law School Honors:
Dean’s List
Fellow, Urban Morgan Institute for Human Rights
University of California, Berkeley
B.A. Political Science, 1976
Honors:
University of California, Berkeley Honor Society
University of California, Berkeley Wheeler Scholar
University of California, Berkeley Alumni Scholar
California State Scholar
MEMBERSHIPS AND COMMUNITY
- American Bar Association
- Forum on Entertainment and Sports Law
- Litigation Section
- Intellectual Property Section
- Senior Attorneys Section
- Tennessee Bar Association
- Board of Governors 2017-19, Grand Division Governor, Middle Tennessee
- Board of Governors 2016-17, Invited Guest
- CLE Committee
- Governmental Affairs Committee
- Entertainment and Sports Law Section
- Nashville Bar Association
- Entertainment Law Committee
- Diversity Committee
- California State Bar Association
- Tennessee Lawyers’ Association for Women
- President, 2016–2017
- Immediate Past President 2017–2018
- Chair, Membership Committee, 2017–2019
- Chair, Continuing Legal Education Committee, 2015–2016
- Copyright Society of the South (since 1998)
- National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences – The Grammys®
- Grammy-winning publisher (Songs for Christiane (BMI)) – Southern, Country, or Bluegrass Gospel Album, 2009
- Grammys on the Hill Advocacy Group
- Music Row Administrators Group (since 1998)
- Omega Delta Psi Recording Industry Fraternity, Honorary Member since 2009
- BMI Music Publisher
- ASCAP Music Publisher
- National Music Publishers Association
- The Harry Fox Agency Publisher Affiliate
- Chair, Fellowship Committee/Board Member, Grace Lutheran Church
ACADEMIA
Nashville School of Law
Nashville, TN, November 2011 – November 2018.
Instructor in Entertainment Law and Intellectual Property.
Middle Tennessee State University
Murfreesboro, TN, August 1, 2007 – 2011.
Assistant Professor, Department of Recording Industry – Taught courses in Copyright Law, Contracts & Legal Issues of the Recording Industry, and Special Topics: How to Get a Job in the Recording Industry.
PUBLICATIONS AND PRESENTATIONS
Published Articles
- "Impeachment", Nashville Bar Journal, President's Day Edition, February 2020
Continuing Legal Education: Presenter/Producer
- Law Practice CLE—Current Industry Insights in Entertainment Law, 2018
- Sexual Harassment No More — Nashville School of Law, 2018
- Law Practice CLE — Estate Planning for Intellectual Property Rights, 2018
- Copyright for Music Educators—Trevecca University, 2018
- National Association of Legal Professionals – How Blurred was the Blurred Lines Decision, 2017
- Western Michigan University, Thomas M. Cooley Law School, Careers in the Entertainment Industry, 2016
- National Association of Legal Professionals - Copyright Litigation for Paralegals, 2016
- Tennessee Bar Association – Tennessee Fashion Law: Protecting Brands, 2016
- Tennessee Bar Association – Wedding CLE, 2016
- Belmont Law Review Symposium – Bringing Blurred Lines into Focus, 2015
- National Business Institute – Settlement Agreements, 2015
- Nashville Bar Association – Federal Practice CLE, 2014
- Tennessee Lawyers Association for Women – Negotiation Skills, 2014
- Tennessee Lawyers Association for Women/Tennessee State Bar Conventions – Better Next Year: Work Life Balance, 2014
- Nashville Songwriters Association International (NSAI) - Practical Copyright for Songwriters, 2014
- Nashville Songwriters Association International (NSAI) – A Songwriters’ College Education in Two Hours, 2013
- National Business Institute – Busy Attorney’s Toolkit to Mobile Success, 2013
- American Bar Association – Copyright Terminations, March 2013
- National Business Institute – Music Law 101, 2012
- Nashville Bar Association – Ethics for Entertainment Attorneys, 2012
- University of Cincinnati College of Law – Entertainment Law, 2012
- National Business Institute – Entertainment Law 101, 2012
- Nashville Bar Association – Entertainment Law, Rules for the Road, 2012
- National Business Institute – Music Law 101, 2012
- Tennessee Bar Association –Copyright Terminations: Rights & Notice, 2012
- LawReview CLE – Intellectual Property Law: Copyrights, 2012
Jennifer Hartson
Phone: (615) 600-4713
Fax: (615) 600-4761
Email: JenniferH@desalvonashville.com
Jennifer Hartson joined the firm in June 2021 as our legal administrative assistant. A native of middle Tennessee, Jennifer graduated magna cum laude with a Bachelor’s in history from Cumberland University. She works remotely for the firm from Savannah, Georgia. Most days you can find her at the beach with daughter Violet, while evenings find her giving tours of the historic district of Savannah, telling spooky ghost stories! Jennifer grew up attending and loving live music in Nashville, putting her in good company at this firm. Although singing and dancing are not her forte, she’s been told her whole life that her personality has a good beat that you can dance to.