Mr. Kuznetsky is the founder, CEO, and principal attorney of Kuznetsky Law Group, P.C., with expertise in Workers’ Compensation, Entertainment law, and Commercial Litigation with a focus on business and intellectual property disputes. As the lead attorney for the firm’s Workers’ Compensation practice, he represents and litigates on behalf of injured employees. He has a track record of reaching successful outcomes for his many clients, who consider him a trusted advisor and seek his input prior to making important legal decisions. This comes from Mr. Kuznetsky’s genuine interest in helping his clients feel heard and understood. Regardless of the size of the case, he prides himself on going the extra mile to obtain the best possible outcome while catering his representation to the individual needs of each client.
In addition to his Workers’ Compensation practice, Mr. Kuznetsky has built a thriving Entertainment Law practice in the music industry, handling both transactional and litigation matters for clients that include artists, artist managers, record labels, and sync licensing agencies. On the transactional end, he reviews, drafts, and negotiates all types of music-related agreements. For litigation matters, he provides dispute resolution in an attempt to avoid litigation whenever possible, and practices arbitration and civil litigation in both the state and federal courts of California.
Mr. Kuznetsky has successfully tried and appealed cases on behalf of both plaintiffs and defendants in the California state and federal courts. One of these successes resulted in a published opinion in the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals on the issue of copyright and the fair use defense. See: Monge v. Maya Magazines, Inc., 688 F.3d 1164 (9th Cir 2012).
Prior to opening his legal practice in 2010, Mr. Kuznetsky worked at a law firm specializing in Workers’ Compensation in both the defense of insurance carriers and the representation of injured workers. As a result, he is extremely well versed in all matters relating to the subject of Workers’ Compensation.
As a musician and songwriter himself, Mr. Kuznetsky has a natural love for the work he does in the music industry. Before entering law school, he spent almost two decades building a career in the music business. His extensive experience includes working in the A&R departments of major record labels, personal management, concert booking and promotions, music supervision and licensing, entertainment public relations, and merchandising. Coming from this background, he intimately understands the inner workings of the music business and the actual issues that confront both musicians and companies.
Mr. Kuznetsky graduated summa cum laude from U.C. Santa Barbara with a Bachelor’s degree in Law and Society. He then earned his J.D. degree from UCLA School of Law in 2005 and was admitted to the bar in the State of California that same year. He is admitted to practice in all California courts, the U.S. District Courts in the Central and Southern Districts of California, and the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals. He is a member of the California Applicants’ Attorneys Association (CAAA) and the Los Angeles Country Bar Association (LACBA).
When not spending time in the courts or cultivating his knowledge of the entertainment and legal landscape, Michael enjoys playing guitar, bass guitar, drums, and is currently learning classical piano. He also enjoys reading literary fiction, visiting museums, traveling internationally, attending concerts, and getting together with friends to play board and card games.
