Biography

Joseph Lloyd Serling is the senior and founding partner of Serling Rooks Hunter McKoy Worob & Averill LLP and along with servicing his own entertainment clients serves as a strategic adviser to the firm’s prominent global clients on a wide range of entertainment law matters. A native of New York, Mr. Serling attended the University of the Americas in Mexico City and Iona College, graduating from the University of Denver in 1965. After receiving his Juris Doctor from the Vanderbilt University School of Law in 1968, he began his legal career as Assistant Attorney General in the Civil Rights Division of the New York State Attorney General’s office. In the early 1970s he worked as an associate at the law firm of Orenstein, Arrow, Silverman & Parcher and then at the law offices of Frederic B. Gershon where he represented numerous clients in the entertainment industry.

In 1975 Mr. Serling became Vice President of Business Affairs at Private Stock Records, building a culture of collaborative innovation and negotiating a portfolio of agreements on behalf of Private Stock. Five years later Mr. Serling formed his own firm and in 1987 became a partner in Rosenblum & Serling, LLP. In 1992 he formed Serling Rooks & Ungar which in January 1996 became Serling Rooks Ferrara (SRF). Under Mr. Serling’s leadership, SRF grew into a prestigious law firm, gaining recognition across the music industry and receiving regular praise from some of the most influential cultural figures of our time. The firm continued to grow in stature and size and in 2009 became Serling Rooks Ferrara McKoy & Worob, which is currently Serling Rooks Hunter McKoy Worob & Averill LLP.

The firm continues to be a key player in entertainment law serving clients across the world. Recognized internationally as an eminent entertainment law expert, Mr. Serling represents a diverse client base, including major record and publishing companies, several major consumer brands, numerous high-profile artists, managers, booking agencies, and industry executives. He has been quoted in major publications and is a regular panel member and guest speaker at music industry events.

Practice Areas
Entertainment
Intellectual Property
Branding & Sponsorship
Executive Employment

Bar Admissions
Tennessee, 1993
New York, 1969

Education
J.D., Vanderbilt University, 1968
B.A., University of Denver, 1965