Melissa Hutter - Los Angeles, CA

Melissa Hutter is an associate in the firm’s entertainment department. Melissa advises on a wide range of agreements and matters in the music industry, including record deals, publishing deals, catalogue sales, company acquisitions, producer deals, management deals, and other commercial and corporate transactions. She specializes in cross-border matters, as she is dual qualified as an attorney in California and a Solicitor of England and Wales. As a musician herself, she understands both the creative and commercial sides of the industry, allowing her to connect with artist clients on a personal level.

Prior to joining the firm, Melissa advised record labels, publishers, management companies, catalogue buyers, established artists, songwriters and new artists at Russells, a top music law firm in London, England. Melissa graduated from one of the top 10 performing arts schools in the world, Guildhall School of Music & Drama in London, England, where she earned a Master of Performance in Orchestral Artistry Violin and a Bachelor of Music (Honors) in Violin Performance. During this time, she performed with the London Symphony Orchestra, with top conductors such as Sir Simon Rattle, Michael Tilson Thomas and Marin Alsop, and at venues such as Barbican Hall, Royal Albert Hall and Wigmore Hall in London, England.

Melissa began to pursue her legal career in 2020 and achieved a Distinction on the Legal Practice Course and PGDL Law Conversion Course in London, England. She was also awarded the BPP Career Commitment Scholarship for both courses, and the Can-Do Pro Bono Recognition Award by the BPP Pro Bono Centre where she served as a Student Adviser at the BPP Legal Advice Clinic. She qualified as a Solicitor of England and Wales in 2025, and passed the California Bar Exam and qualified as an attorney in California in 2026.