Biography

Craig Averill is a partner at Serling Rooks Hunter McKoy Worob & Averill LLP. Mr. Averill represents a broad range of clients that include international marketing and media companies, gold and platinum RIAA certified recording artists, Grammy Award-winning producers and songwriters and a variety of visual artists. He has negotiated and structured complex transactions for asset securitization and music catalog sales, branded content projects, strategic partnerships and sponsorships, and other music matters that include high level publishing and recording agreements. His law practice has allowed him to travel internationally, and Mr. Averill has spoken at major music industry conferences throughout the world.

A New York native, Mr. Averill began his career with Sony Music Entertainment before serving as the general manager for Gypsy Records, an independent record label established with the former president and CEO of CBS Records/Sony Music, Walter Yetnikoff. While at Gypsy Records, Mr. Averill oversaw the day-to-day activities of the record label and acted as an executive producer for several artist and soundtrack albums as well as a charity album produced for the Red Hot Organization.
Following Gypsy Records, Mr. Averill entered into private law practice in 1999; in 2004 he formed his own law firm Sciorra, Leaness, Averill & Rubenstein, LLC where he remained until joining Serling Rooks in 2008.

Mr. Averill completed his undergraduate studies at The Catholic University of America and earned his Juris Doctor from New York Law School.

Practice Areas
Music
Entertainment
Branding, Sponsorships, Endorsements
Intellectual Property
Executive Employment

Bar Admissions
New York, 1995

Recognitions
Billboard Top Music Lawyers 2020-2024