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Entertainment related
Biography of Thomas Jannarone, Esquire
Thomas Jannarone has been a dominant figure in
New Jersey’s nightclub and live entertainment scene for over 20
years. With over ten years of Entertainment Law under his
belt, Mr. Jannarone has recently brought his knowledge of the music
business and professional wrestling to the world of
professional video gaming tackling the intricate, and often unique,
legal challenges it brings.
This should come as no surprise, as diversity
and innovation has been the backdrop of Mr. Jannarone's impressive
career. Since 1985, Mr. Jannarone has operated,
promoted, and recruited talent for some of New Jersey’s biggest
clubs. While attending Glassboro State College/Rowan University, Mr.
Jannarone promoted, dee jayed, performed and emceed at the school’s
largest club, Down on Main Street. Mr. Jannarone also played
drums in a popular rock band called “the Smokin Jackets” throughout
college performing in South Jersey and Philadelphia.
After receiving his BA in Communications in
1989, Mr. Jannarone served two years as the Entertainment and
Promotional Director for Art Stock’s legendary clubs, the Playpen
(Sayreville, NJ) and Birch Hill (Old Bridge, NJ). These two famous
rock clubs had the combined capacity of over 5,500 persons and were
no strangers to some of rock’s most notorious bands such as, Bon
Jovi, Skid Row, Motley Crue, Poison, and many others.
In 1991, Mr. Jannarone took on the
Entertainment Director and General Manager position at the 3,000
person capacity Bar Anticipation (aka, “Bar A”) in Lake Como, NJ.
There, he recruited and developed some of the top “cover bands” in
the tri-state area. In 1992, Mr. Jannarone coupled a new talent with
his “Beat the Clock” nightclub concept on Tuesday nights. This
single night at Bar A continues to be the busiest week night at any
club in the state grossing well over $16 million in sales since its
inception. Bar A continues to be hailed as an industry leader, and
one of the country’s biggest establishments, winning many top
industry awards annually.
In 1994, Mr. Jannarone added to his arsenal of
talents by attending Widener University School of Law where he won
both the school’s Negotiation and Client Counseling competitions
with near perfect scores. He also received Moot Court Honor Society
awards, was elected Class Representative, and served as the Vice
President of the School’s Sports and Entertainment Society.
In 1997, Mr. Jannarone received his Juris
Doctrine degree from Widener University School of Law all awhile
working full time and thriving at Bar A. Shortly thereafter, Mr.
Jannarone became a partner of Bar Anticipation and a partner in the
Law Offices of Kalas and Jannarone.
Since 1989, Mr. Jannarone has written well over
100 published columns and has spoken at numerous seminars covering
various topics from music and copyright law to nightclub operation,
special event planning and promotion.
Mr. Jannarone also writes a regular law column
for Night and Day Magazine. This column deals with all aspects of
traffic violations in New Jersey’s Municipal Court system and is
distributed throughout central and northern New Jersey.
In 2005, Mr. Jannarone became a Licensed
Entertainment Agent in the State of New Jersey and founded Trend
Promotions, LLC, with a colleague from Bar A. Trend Promotions
specializes in providing promotional ideas, activities and personnel
for clients primarily in the alcoholic beverage industry including,
Bacardi Imports, Anheuser Busch, Absolut, Miller Brewing Company, Brown
Foreman and Fedway Distributors. After only two years, Trend
currently employs over 70 promotional models.
Mr. Jannarone’s Entertainment Law practice has
lead him to negotiate contracts and communicate with many large
organizations including Microsoft, Hallmark, World Wrestling
Entertainment (WWE), Extreme Championship Wrestling (ECW), Total
Nonstop Action Wrestling (TNA), American Gladiators, Comedy Central,
Universal Studios, Anheuser Busch, and RCA Records. Mr. Jannarone
also works with actors, comedians, models, musicians, professional
wrestlers and cyber athletes.
In August of 2005, Mr. Jannarone was selected
to speak at the New Jersey Institute for Continuing Legal
Education’s (ICLE) seminar on entertainment law. This seminar
called, “The Business of Music,” educates other attorneys about
entertainment law. This successful seminar is now an annual
education program with Mr. Jannarone as a regular speaker.
Mr. Jannarone’s law practice also involves the
representation of nightclubs, bars and restaurants throughout New
Jersey to both the local authorities as well as the State’s
Alcoholic Beverage Control board. Mr. Jannarone also regularly
represents private defendants throughout New Jersey’s Municipal
Court system.
Recently, Mr. Jannarone drafted what is believed to be
the World’s first “Cyber Athlete Management Contract” and
is now representing the World’s largest on-line gaming clan, the MoB Gaming
Family.
Mr. Jannarone sits on the Board of Directors of
the New Jersey State Bar Association’s Entertainment, Arts & Sports
Law Section and is a member of the New Jersey State Bar
Association’s Municipal Court Practice Section.
He also is a member of the National Association
of Alcoholic Beverage License Attorneys (2002 - present); an
Associate Member of the New Jersey Licensed Beverage Association
(2002 - present); an Associate Member of the New Jersey Restaurant
Association (2005 - present); and a Member of the American Bar
Association’s Forum on Sports and Entertainment Law (2001 - present).
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