Stuart Goldstein '00
Senior VP, Business & Legal Affairs at Vice Media, LLC
I never thought law school would be right for me. I assumed law school, and a legal career, would necessarily be stuffy and boring. I went to law school to prove once and for all that I would hate it. The only person who was shocked that I fell in love with it was me.
Keeping in mind that I assumed I'd drop out of law school before I even set foot in it, I chose Seton Hall because it was close to New York City. I had my eyes on an acting career, and I imagined jumping out of classes to hop the train to New York to audition. I did that for a few weeks, until the light bulb went off and a new goal came into focus.
I stayed at Seton Hall Law because the professors were fantastic and accessible, the building itself lent a communal atmosphere to the proceedings, and I made dear friends with whom I was fortunate enough to share the experience. In short, I didn't want to go to Seton Hall or any other law school, but Seton Hall Law changed my mind.
Seton Hall Law: You also have always been involved in a broad sense with music and entertainment; at what point did you decide to merge those personal passions with your legal career? Who or what inspired you to pursue the entertainment industry in house legal field?
I didn't need much outside influence to make entertainment law a goal. Being a part of the entertainment industry was my dream long before I was in high school, let alone law school. However, my Contracts, IP, and Entertainment Law classes helped give shape to what I needed to master to achieve success in the field. He's probably not aware of it, but Professor Caraballo's Contracts class probably had a greater, more direct influence on the course of my career than any other. That was another surprise - I thought I'd particularly dislike Contracts. Contracts? How boring! It was my favorite class. Of course.
After graduation, I joined Proskauer's Labor & Employment department in New York City. They represented clients in the sports and entertainment field, which interested me. I did much work for The Broadway League, Major League Baseball, and various New York City cultural institutions. Still, getting that in-house break was never a guarantee. I was fortunate that a spot opened in NBCUniversal's “Labor Relations and Talent Negotiations” group in 2005, and that I was at just the right point in my career timeline to fit. After 11+ years at NBCU (on both coasts), I joined BuzzFeed in Los Angeles to build out its Business & Legal affairs team. It was fascinating to dive fully into “new media,” which of course is no longer new, and is relevant throughout the industry. In 2019 I shifted to Vice Media, where I currently lead its Business & Legal Affairs group (“Business & Legal Affairs,” in this industry, means “Entertainment Lawyer”), negotiating all manner of deals for film and television.
The most rewarding aspect of my position is watching the completed films and series that I've worked on or hearing how such projects have positively affected others. I'm proud to be part of a team that's creating meaningful, fascinating, impactful projects. Also, people in this business are all kinds of colorful and, in many instances…um, “different.” I laugh every single day.
The most challenging aspect of my role is what has been the most challenging aspect of any role I've held anywhere: navigating the quirks and preferences of everyone around me, on both sides of the table. Once I decided to finish law school, I thought that the two best things I could do with my degree would be to (a) try to save the planet; or (b) work in the entertainment business. I'm grateful to have worked my way in the entertainment industry, but I do try to give back as much as possible. I do pro bono work for a variety of animal conservation organizations around the globe. (Go parrots!)
Seton Hall Law: What was your Oscar experience like? Tell us about your current role and how you became involved with an Oscar nominated animated film?
As a Business & Legal Affairs attorney, I'm ultimately responsible for all aspects of all agreements relating to a given project, whether for co-producers, networks, distributors, actors, writers, directors, licensees, etc. Vice co-produced Flee. My work included getting the actors Riz Ahmed (Sound of Metal) and Nicolaj Coster-Waldau (Game of Thrones) on board as executive producers, and as voice actors for the English-dubbed version. It's a truly special project, one that has resonated with people around the globe, and it became the first film in history to be nominated for three of the “major” Academy awards: Best International Feature, Best Documentary Feature, and Best Animated Feature.
Attending the Oscars was fascinating. It was entertaining to get an up-close view of the hierarchy in the room (oh there's a hierarchy!) and at the parties. Something that struck me was how it's very much a “work event” for the spectacularly dressed, as strange as that might seem. Agents, producers, writers, directors, and actors are shaking hands, congratulating each other…and scoping the room to plant the seeds for their next big projects.
Seton Hall Law: Looking back, how did your Seton Hall Law experience prepare you to serve in the prominent positions you have held?
Professors Caraballo, McLaughlin, and Franzese stood out for me, as did Dean Riccio. Notably, I took only one Entertainment law class, and zero Labor law classes…yet I became a labor lawyer and an entertainment lawyer. The classes I took, directly related to my career or not, trained me to spot issues, regardless of subject matter. In other words, doing well in Property will help you in seemingly unrelated matters, as the classroom is molding your mind to think like a lawyer. Serving as Editor-in-Chief of the Law Review prepared me for the long firm hours and attention to detail.
Seton Hall Law: You have spent a large part of your career on the business side of law as compared to the law firm. What advice would you give to a law student looking to move inhouse?
I get this question a lot. Be patient. Work hard. Get along with everyone, from the person cleaning the hallways to the most senior partner. All you have is your reputation. Put in the time. Most in-house legal groups aren't looking for 3-5 years of firm experience because it necessarily directly applies - they're looking for that experience because they expect you to join the group with some serious “office seasoning” under your belt. This relates to what I said about the difficulty of navigating the quirks and experiences of those around you: If you've survived at a firm for 5 years, I know that (a) you can handle some of the most difficult personalities on the planet; (b) you're not afraid to work hard; and (c) you're serious about your career. My first boss at NBCU said something at my interview that stuck with me: “Why are you interested in this job? Please don't tell me it's because you love entertainment. I'm not looking for an ‘entertainment lawyer.' I'm looking for a great labor and contracts attorney to work at NBCU. Speak to that.” That was great advice. Above all: (a) Your reputation; (b) patience and hard work. I often hear from students “But I don't want to be a law firm partner.” My answer to that is, “Great! I didn't want that either. But work as if you want to stay at the law firm. That's how you'll get the in-house job.”
Seton Hall Law: How has being a part of the Seton Hall Law alumni network impacted your career?
I got the NBCU role, in part, because one member of that team graduated from Seton Hall Law. At my first day on the job, he gave me a high-five and said “Seton Hall Law! We've got to stick together.” So, there's one example that had a major impact on my career!
Seton Hall Law: Why is it important to you to give back to Seton Hall Law?
I want to know that Seton Hall Law can provide young people with the same opportunities I was given. It's important to remember who was there for you at the beginning. That sticks with me, every day.
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