William L. Whitacre is an entertainment attorney with offices located at Universal Studios in Orlando, Florida. His firm is William L. Whitacre & Associates, P.A. whose clients include film and television producers, musical artists, independent music labels, and related companies and individuals. His practice consists of an exclusive base of principal clients with whom he is most often a strategic and equity partner.
Mr. Whitacre graduated from the University of Florida Law School with his Juris Doctor degree in December 1971. He entered the United States Army in 1972 and was admitted to the Florida Bar in 1973 while on active duty. Following service with the U. S. Army Judge Advocate General’s Corps he moved to Orlando, Florida where he has practiced law full time since 1977. He will be an applicant for admission to the Tennessee Bar in 2007.
Mr. Whitacre was an Assistant State Attorney in Florida from 1977 to 1981. He served as Chief Assistant State Attorney, and Acting State Attorney of the Ninth Judicial Circuit of Florida. During his tour with the State Attorney’s Office, he successfully prosecuted many high profile homicide cases, gaining national attention for his innovative use of expert witnesses in the fields of forensic pathology, odontology and anthropology, and was featured in True Detective magazine.
Mr. Whitacre has been a trial attorney for over thirty years. In his private practice he has represented ABC Liquors, the largest independent beer and wine merchant in the United States, and The Orlando-Orange County Expressway Authority as primary trial counsel in multi-million dollar litigation, Revlon, Neve, and many other corporations and organizations in both State and Federal court. He is admitted to the bars of the United States Middle District of Florida, and the United States Supreme Court. He has litigated Federal criminal and civil matters in Florida, Virginia, and Illinois.
Music clients have included JACO PASTORIUS (Grammy nominee with WEATHER REPORT); D.J. MAGIC MIKE (“Father of Bass”); CHEETAH RECORDS (Four RIAA certified Gold Sales Awards, and one RIAA certified Platinum sales award); MUSCLE MIXES MUSIC (Reebok’s Step Aerobic music provider); TOM WASHINGTON (International Producer of Phenix Horns); LATHAN HUDSON (Grammy nominated Nashville Songwriter, co-writer of Country #1 “New Looks from and Old Lover” recorded by B. J. Thomas); RAZZY BAILEY; DAVID FRIZZELL PRODUCTIONS, LLC (as co-counsel with Mr. Frizzell’s Nashville Counsel Ralph Gordon); HANK “SUGARFOOT” GARLAND (Legendary Country and Jazz Guitarist who recorded extensively for and with Owen and Harold Bradley at the Hut) UNITED ALLIANCE ENTERTAINMENT GROUP, LLC and its Independent Label RADIANCE RECORDS, and many others. Representation included career development, personal management, business organization, copyright, artist contract formation and negotiation, music licensing, music publishing and administration, and distribution agreements with companies such as Warner/Atlantic, Polygram, CBS, INDI and their international affiliates in Europe and Japan. Mr. Whitacre’s music affiliations include being an ASCAP and BMI music publisher, through his company Wail & Moan Music, Inc, and NARAS. His lawfirm is an Organizational Member of CMA.
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