Prof. Cheryl Carr has been appointed Associate Dean of the Curb College and brings an extensive entertainment, law, and performance background to the position. Carr began her tenure with the Curb College in 2008. As an entertainment and intellectual property law attorney prior to entering academia, Carr launched a practice with a particular focus on developing creative business and legal solutions for arts and entertainment professionals. She has over 16 years of experience in representing independent & emerging filmmakers, novelists, record companies, musicians, technology companies, visual artists, and other arts, technology and business professionals. Combining her arts focus with 17 years of experience in managing and advising public sector programs, she developed a progressive law practice to provide clients with cutting-edge counsel on changes in the entertainment industry and trends in IP law and policy. A frequent presenter, writer and researcher, Carr is co-author of Music Copyright Law, a book written to provide in-depth coverage of copyright fundamentals as they apply to the music industry. She is a contributing author of Trademark Infringement Remedies, a practitioner-based book on the fundamentals of trademark law, and has authored numerous articles on matters ranging from strategies for success in the music industry, to funding film projects. She speaks extensively on arts and IP matters, including television appearances and as a presenter for numerous organizations, universities and conferences. She holds a Juris Doctor degree from the University of Maryland School of Law, a Master of Public Administration from Atlanta University, a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Michigan, and completed the Harvard Law School Program of Continuing Education for Lawyers in International and Comparative Intellectual Property. She served as chair of the Maryland Bar Association’s entertainment & sports law section for 4 years where she pioneered the first continuing legal education program for entertainment law for the Maryland Bar. Carr also taught in the clinical law program for University of Maryland School of Law.
In 2005 she was selected as a Maryland Bar Foundation Fellow, an honor awarded to two percent of the Maryland Bar membership, has served on the board of directors for Maryland Volunteer Lawyers for the Arts, and is an alumna of Leadership Music. Her entertainment industry experience is augmented by her work as a vocalist with over 25 years of performance experience, including production and release of Invocation, a jazz-inspired recording of sacred and jazz standards.
As a Curb College professor Carr has taught Copyright Law, Music Industry Contract Law, Survey of Music Business, Intellectual Property, Diversity in the Entertainment Industry (an Honors course), and seminars on professionalism and entrepreneurship in entertainment law. Her service to the College includes service on several committees including co-chairing the music business curriculum committee. She also developed and implemented Belmont’s first legal clinic, the Entertainment Law & Professionalism clinic — in collaboration with the Arts and Business Council — to teach Belmont students professionalism and to serve their business and legal needs.