Los Angeles Minor Entertainment Attorney

Protecting Entertainers of All Ages

The entertainment industry can chew you up and spit you out without you even realizing it. Yet people take it on anyway, risking it all for fame and glory. Talented young individuals risk their reputation and future in entertainment by taking on the titans of the industry before they are even old enough to vote. And, unfortunately, some of the more nefarious players see a younger person not as someone to help grow and prosper, but to take advantage of, and potentially ruin their career.

Kinney Law, P.C. is here to protect all players in the entertainment industry, regardless of their talent, fame, or age. We can help guide you and your child through contract signings and negotiations, and help you understand things like Coogan accounts right from the start.

Find out more about the legal services we offer to talented individuals of all ages, or call us at 213-668-6220 to schedule a consultation with an attorney who takes your career seriously, no matter how old you are.

Do You Need an Entertainment Lawyer if You Already Have a Talent Manager?

A talent manager helps guide your child’s career, but they aren’t qualified to give legal advice. Managers focus on building relationships and shaping public image. An entertainment lawyer, on the other hand, protects the legal and financial side of that work.

Lawyers handle what managers can’t:

Reviewing and negotiating contracts
Securing court approval for minor agreements
Voiding contracts a newly-turned adult signed while they were a minor
Protecting intellectual property and likeness rights
Enforcing labor laws and offering guidance on setting up Coogan accounts
Handling disputes or legal issues that arise

Managers support the career. Lawyers protect it. You need both.

What Are Coogan Accounts and Why Are They Important?

In entertainment law, few tools are as essential to a child performer’s financial safety as the Coogan account. Named after child actor Jackie Coogan, whose earnings were famously mismanaged by his parents, this legal structure was designed to prevent future abuse of a minor’s income in the entertainment business.

A Coogan account is a blocked trust account that holds a portion of a minor’s earnings from film, television, music, or other media-related work. Under California law, employers in the entertainment industry are required to set aside 15% of a minor’s gross earnings into this account, which remains untouchable until the child turns 18.

This is more than a financial safeguard; it is a legal obligation with serious legal consequences if ignored. Any production company, record label, streaming platform, or talent agency hiring minors must comply with this requirement. Failure to do so can create serious legal issues for all involved.

Here’s how it works:

The parent or legal guardian sets up the Coogan account in the child’s name at an eligible financial institution.
The employer deposits 15% of gross earnings directly into the account.
The funds are blocked from withdrawal until the minor reaches adulthood.

These accounts are often required before a work permit will even be issued. Without a permit, the minor cannot legally be hired, which can delay production, disrupt scheduling, or trigger contractual disputes between producers, agents, and management companies.

For parents of young artists, it’s more than paperwork. It is a form of legal representation for the child’s future self, ensuring that the money earned from acting in a motion picture or from their musical talent is preserved, and giving them access to the fruits of their labor when they become adults.

A Kinney Law, P.C. entertainment lawyer can help you with this arrangement. We will provide guidance to ensure that your account is properly set up and that contracts and work permits comply with state labor and business laws. We’re also ready to step in if employers fail to properly fund the account. We can draft collaboration agreements or negotiate terms to prevent loopholes that could compromise the minor’s earnings or rights.

Coogan accounts are just one piece of a much larger puzzle. But in a world where litigation issues are common, this simple requirement offers protection where it matters most: protecting your young star.

We don’t care if our client is a rising actor, already part of a television production, or involved in film productions with larger studios; we are ready to work with you. Remember, Coogan compliance is non-negotiable when it comes to protecting up-and-coming minors.

What Happens If a Minor Wants Out of Their Entertainment Contracts?

Minors have the legal right to disaffirm, or cancel, a contract that they’ve signed, thanks to California Family Code § 6710. Those protections exist because minors aren’t seen as having the same capacity to fully understand or consent to binding legal agreements. This law plays a big role in entertainment, where young actors, musicians, and content creators are often asked to sign early deals that can impact them for the rest of their lives.

However, disaffirmance isn’t automatic. There’s a process, and the outcome depends on a few key factors:

The contract must have been signed while the person was still a minor.
The disaffirmance usually has to happen before or shortly after turning 18.
The minor may need to return any money or benefits they received, if possible.
Some contracts, like those approved by the court, can’t be disaffirmed at all.

That last point is crucial. If a contract involving a minor has been approved by a judge, it becomes binding, just like an adult agreement. That’s why court approval is often recommended for larger deals in film, television, and music.

Trust us, legal representation matters here. A lawyer can help navigate this process and avoid long-term consequences tied to early agreements.

How Can an Entertainment Lawyer Help Protect a Child’s Career?

Young performers in film, television, and music face legal risks most adults don’t fully understand; contracts, labor laws, and financial control are just the start. An entertainment lawyer can give advice to help protect both their earnings and their future.

Here’s how:

Reviews contracts for unfair or vague terms
Secures court approval for major deals
Ensures labor law compliance on set
Guides families through the Coogan account setup
Helps disaffirm harmful contracts signed as a minor
Protects name, likeness, and voice in media deals
Negotiates with producers, talent agencies, music companies, and management companies

Without legal oversight, minors can end up tied to long-term agreements that limit their control or undercut their pay. A skilled attorney makes sure the child’s rights are clear, their money is safe, and their career is built on solid legal ground.

Contracts Involving Minors

Representation of talent, including assistance in the disaffirmance of entertainment contracts involving minors under Family Code section 6710 et seq.
Representation of music and entertainment companies dealing with minors to secure court approval of minors’ contracts.
Representation of music and entertainment companies to advise and counsel companies in the negotiation, drafting, and enforcement of minors’ contracts, and responding to notices of intention to disaffirm a minor’s contract and/or name and likeness release.
Advise and counsel parents regarding Coogan Accounts and labor law issues related to minors.

How Does an Entertainment Attorney Help Minor Social Media Influencers?

Young influencers face serious risks when posting content, signing brand deals, or growing an online following. An entertainment attorney helps protect their videos, images, and likeness from being used without permission. They review sponsorship agreements, flag unfair terms, and make sure contracts don’t give away long-term rights. They also help set clear limits around reposting, licensing, and brand usage. For minors, that kind of legal support can prevent exploitation and protect their content as their audience grows.

When Should a Parent Call an Entertainment Lawyer?

Parents are the first line of defense in their child’s entertainment career, but they shouldn’t try to handle everything alone. If your child is being asked to sign a contract, work with a production company, or join an agency, it’s time to call a lawyer. Legal advice is essential when negotiating contract terms and protecting your child’s future.

Kinney Law, P.C. brings industry knowledge, safeguards your child’s rights, and helps you avoid shady deals. If you’re not sure how an entertainment lawyer can help you, call 213-668-6220 to schedule a free consultation with our firm. This is the first step towards taking an active approach to protecting your family.