Ramona P. DeSalvo
Contact
Phone: (615) 600-4741
Fax: (615) 600-4761
Email: rdesalvo@desalvonashville.com
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. Since graduation from law school in 1980, Ms. DeSalvo was admitted to practice in Tennessee, Ohio and California, practicing as a trial attorney for the past 36 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, 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) – 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.
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
BIO
Nashvillian Joseph Kwon graduated from the University of Tennessee with his B.A. degree in Classical Civilizations. Staying true to his alma mater, Joseph attended the University of Tennessee College of Law, graduating with a concentration in Advocacy and Dispute Resolution. At UT Law, he was president of the Asian Law Students Association. Joseph was admitted to practice in Tennessee in 2018, and focuses on business and family law.
Coming from a family of hard-working Korean immigrants, Joseph is passionate about helping clients from all walks of life to attain their American dream. Seeing the struggles his parents faced, Joseph often assisted them with their business matters and found his passion for entrepreneurship and advocacy at an early age. Not wanting his parents to misunderstand or be misunderstood, Joseph quickly developed a penchant for active listening and concise communication.
Joseph’s legal forte includes legal consulting for businesses, particularly in the food industry, contracts, juvenile law, and family law. Joseph is an approachable and engaging go-to legal counsel for the mom-and-pop businesses in Middle Tennessee. Joseph is fluent in Korean (Hangul).
When away from the law office, Joseph enjoys spending time with his husky, Koga, practicing judo, and growing orchids.
Joseph Kwon
Contact
Phone: (615) 600-4741, ext. 105
Fax: (615) 600-4761
Email: jkwon@desalvonashville.com
Christiane DeSalvo
Contact
Phone: (615) 600-4713
Fax: (615) 600-4761
Email: cdesalvo@desalvonashville.com
EDUCATION
University of San Diego 2005
Bachelor of Arts, Communication Studies
Minor, Business Administration
Christiane DeSalvo joined the firm in February 2018 as the social media director. In 2005, Ms. DeSalvo received her Bachelor of Arts in Communications Studies with a Minor in Business Administration from the University of San Diego. She worked at Anheuser-Busch for 12 years, rising to the level of Senior District Manager – High End beer, focusing on imports and craft beer and working throughout Southern California and Hawaii. After extensive studying and testing, Ms. DeSalvo acquired certification as a Six Sigma White Belt, Beer Server, and Cicerone® In short, Christiane DeSalvo knows her beer! Ms. DeSalvo now is the Regional Market Manager for Southern California for Founders Brewing Co.®, the largest craft brewery in the U.S. and known for its Dirty Bastard® and All Day IPA® brands.
Aside from her expertise in craft beers, Ms. DeSalvo enjoys working out, selling Four Athletics (athletic wear), and running—she recently completed her first ½ marathon and was seriously rethinking that running thing. She seems to have recovered and continues to run 5Ks. Always a careful, dedicated worker, Ms. DeSalvo first worked at DeSalvo Law Firm, Carmel, California doing filing and copying, when she was a student at RLS (Robert Louis Stevenson Middle School) in Carmel.