SpecialityEntertainment and Business Attorney, Public Speaker, and Professional Development Coach

BiographyRebecca Beliard is an award-winning entertainment and business attorney, renowned public speaker, and professional development coach. Rebecca attended St. John’s University in Queens, New York, where in the span of four years, she earned both her Bachelor of Science in Legal Studies with a minor in Psychology and her Master of Arts in Government and Politics with a certificate in International Law and Diplomacy. Throughout her time at St. John’s, Rebecca showcased exceptional leadership abilities, holding numerous influential positions within various organizations across the university. Her accomplishments garnered well-deserved recognition when she was handpicked out of over 20,000 students to join the university’s most distinguished group – the President’s Society, where she was honored for her academic success and commitment to her community. Upon completing her master’s, Rebecca pursued her Juris Doctor and specialized in Intellectual Property Law at the University of Florida. During her tenure at UF, she made notable contributions as an editor for the Journal of Technology Law and Public Policy and as the Vice President for the Entertainment and Sports Law Society. During Rebecca’s upbringing, music undoubtedly played an integral role in her life and led her to a career in the entertainment space. Whether she was singing in the choir, choreographing dances for the talent show, or playing her favorite tunes on the piano, you could always find her expressing her creativity. Rebecca’s first stint in the music industry was at Sony Music Entertainment, where she worked with music label executives and talent in order to protect their intellectual property. Shortly after, Rebecca transitioned to New York City’s Hot 97 radio station, where she started in the marketing and promotions department but quickly moved up the ranks and worked with the GM on key client accounts and on signature events, including Summer Jam. Rebecca continued to work in the entertainment space and landed a role at ViacomCBS in their legal department, supporting the company’s subsidiary businesses, including Showtime Network, Inside Edition, Simon and Schuster, and CBSTV and Radio. Upon graduating from law school, Rebecca relocated to Miami, Florida, and joined Akerman, LLP, a nationally recognized law firm with over 700 lawyers practicing in 24 different cities. Rebecca’s legal practice at Akerman focused on a wide range of transactional matters, including contract negotiations, mergers and acquisitions, intellectual property law, and general corporate and entertainment matters. At Akerman, Rebecca represented Fortune 500 companies and negotiated transactions ranging from $ 1 million USD to $ 550 million USD. Only four years into her career, Rebecca was recruited to join one of the largest companies in the world as legal counsel for Amazon Music. Rebecca regularly negotiated deals with talent, producers, podcasters, content creators, and creatives alike. Notably, Rebecca negotiated one of the largest label deals at Amazon Music worth $1.2 Billion USD. Rebecca regularly speaks on cutting-edge topics in the entertainment industry and on women’s issues, diversity, equity and inclusion, and professional development. Most recently, Rebecca served as the Professional Development Coordinator for the Black Professionals Network and launched a consulting company to help students, young professionals, budding entrepreneurs, and talent overcome roadblocks and thrive in their respective careers through her signature workshop, “Shoot You Shot in the Professional Arena.” Rebecca’s outstanding achievements have led to her selection as a member of the Recording Academy, widely recognized as the renowned organization behind the Grammys. Outside of work, Rebecca is very involved in her community and is a volunteer attorney for the Haitian Lawyers Association and for Volunteer Lawyers for the Arts. Rebecca is an active member in both national and local bar associations, including the ABA’s Forum on Entertainment and Sports Law, the Black Entertainment and Sports Lawyers Association, Women in Music, and Corporate Counsel Women of Color. In her free time, Rebecca enjoys outdoor activities, including boat days, bike riding, attending concerts and music showcases, trying out new foods, and traveling the world