Wayne D. Rooks

Partner

Wayne D. Rooks received his Juris Doctor, cum laude, from Wayne State University Law School in 1970.   Wayne began his legal career in 1971 as an associate with the firm Rosen, Seton & Sarbin working with clients such as Dick Clark, Bill Graham and Jefferson Starship.   In 1975, Wayne was hired by CBS as an attorney specializing in the area of recording and music publishing agreements and copyright matters, a job that led to the position of Senior Director of Business Affairs for CBS Records and CBS Music Publishing.   Wayne began his independent legal practice in 1984 focusing on transactional entertainment law and, in 1990, joined Joseph L. Serling and Nicholas C. Ferrara to establish Serling Rooks & Ferrara LLP.

Wayne has represented numerous recording artists, from Rock & Roll Hall of Fame legends to the most current artists, as well as producers and Grammy and Emmy award-winning songwriters.. Wayne represents a number of record companies and music publishers, both foreign and domestic, as well as artist managers and booking agencies. Recently, he has expanded his practice to include a number of top equestrian trainers, breeders and riders, including a 2004 Olympics dressage rider.

Wayne is a member of the Copyright Society of the U.S.A., the National Association of Recording Arts and Sciences, the National Music Publishers’ Association and the Country Music Association and serves on the Board of Advisors of the Woody Guthrie Foundation.