My Lawyer Friend Podcast

Moving Abroad: From the United States to France (Visas, Taxes & Mistakes To Avoid) - EP 9

This week Anne and Brittany kick off part 1 of their Moving Abroad Series as they break down the legal realities not many people talk about—and it starts with a bombshell: Anne is officially moving to Paris. They break down the full year of planning, scheming, and decision-making that led to this moment, including how Anne will continue running her California-based law firm remotely while living in France. From choosing the Long Stay Visitor “Visiteur” Visa to navigating the restrictions (like not being allowed to work in France), Anne explains exactly how she’ll maintain her U.S. clients while building a new life overseas. The conversation dives into the real stuff people get wrong—especially freelancers trying to move abroad—like visa mistakes, tax complications, and avoiding getting taxed in both countries. Brittany (reluctantly) brings up taxes, sparking a deep dive into how this move impacts Anne’s business and personal finances, plus what it would take to eventually work legally in France. They also touch on the Entrepreneur Visa, why hiring an immigration lawyer matters, and Anne’s bigger visions from launching a masterclass to creating content in Paris. 🎧 Spotify: Search "My Lawyer Friend" 📺 YouTube: / @mylawyerfriendpod 🎙️ Apple Podcasts & everywhere you listen Follow us: 🌐 Website: mylawyerfriendpodcast.com 📩 Substack: mylawyerfriend.substack.com 📱 Instagram & TikTok: @mylawyerfriend.podcast | @mylawyerfriendpodcast 👩‍⚖️ Anne Easton: Entertainment & corporate attorney | Blakemore Law | blakemore-law.com 💼 Brittany Ledford: Serial entrepreneur & your business buddy Credits: Host, Producer, Creator: Anne Easton Co-Host, Producer, Creator: Brittany Ledford Production Services: Will Edmiston and The Village LA Editor: Larry Lane Producer: Keenan O'Keefe-Easton Disclaimer: This episode is for educational and informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. For advice specific to your situation, consult a licensed attorney. #MovingAbroad #ParisFrance #ExpatLife #DigitalNomad #VisaTips #FranceVisa #RemoteWorkLife #LivingInParis #LawFirmLife #TaxesExplained #EntrepreneurVisa #ImmigrationLawyer #TravelGoals #LifeChange #WorkFromAnywhere

Episode 8: From Script to Screen. The Legal Essentials Every Filmmaker Needs to Know

What does it actually take to get a film off the ground — legally, creatively, and professionally? Miles Alva is an independent film producer and studio executive whose award-winning films have been distributed by Disney, 20th Century Fox, Amazon, and Netflix. Most recently, he produced the A24 film Misty Green, written and directed by Chris Rock. In this episode, Anne sits down with Miles to break down the legal essentials every filmmaker needs to know — from the moment that great script lands in your hands — and to pull back the curtain on what it really means to build a career in Hollywood. What we cover: * The key legal steps every filmmaker should take at inception: incorporation, media insurance, and shopping agreements * What "piercing the corporate veil" means and why paying your taxes on a production entity actually matters * Chain of title — what it is, why every distributor will require it, and what happens when a lawyer gets it wrong * The CAMA collection account: what it does and why the language in those agreements is critical * What production attorneys actually do, and when you need in-house versus outside counsel * How Miles broke into the industry — community college to USC film school to A24 * Misty Green: the star-studded cast, the Chris Rock you haven't seen before, and why Cannes is the target * The Netflix/Paramount/Warner Bros. Discovery acquisition conversation — and what it means for independent producers ABOUT MILES ALVA Miles Alva is an independent film producer and studio executive based in Los Angeles. His award-winning films have been showcased at prestigious festivals and distributed by major studios including Disney, 20th Century Fox, Amazon, and Netflix. Most recently, he produced Misty Green for A24, written and directed by Chris Rock, starring Adam Driver, Daniel Kaluuya, Rosalind Elazar, Anna Kendrick, Anthony Anderson, Busta Rhymes, Topher Grace, and Alexandra Shipp. LINKS: * Subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts: https://mylawyerfriendpodcast.com/ [https://mylawyerfriendpodcast.com/] * Watch on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@MyLawyerFriendPod [https://www.youtube.com/@MyLawyerFriendPod] * Follow MLF on Instagram: @mylawyerfriend.podcast * Follow MLF on TikTok: @mylawyerfriendpodcast * Substack: https://mylawyerfriend.substack.com/ [https://mylawyerfriend.substack.com/] My Lawyer Friend is hosted by Anne Easton, entertainment and corporate attorney, and Brittany Ledford, serial entrepreneur. New episodes drop every other Wednesday. This podcast is for educational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. For advice specific to your situation, consult a licensed attorney.

Episode 7: Production Finance, Guild Compliance & the Inner Work of High-Powered Women

What does it look like to sit at the intersection of Hollywood finance, guild compliance, and a deeply intentional inner life? Heather Heukrodt has spent her career managing the financial infrastructure of major productions — ensuring writers, crew, and talent actually receive what they negotiated, even when the bureaucracy makes that harder than it should be. As Head of Production Finance at Boat Rocker Media, she operates inside one of the most complex roles in Hollywood. She's also the founder of Luminary Soul, an energy and sound healing practice helping high-achieving women break through the blocks that ambition alone can't fix. In this episode, Anne sits down with Heather to talk through what production finance actually does, what WGA compliance looks like from the inside, and the conversation about masculine/feminine polarity that nobody is having at the office. This one moves between the boardroom and the soul — with zero apology. What we cover: * What production finance actually does and why it matters to every person on a production * WGA compliance from the inside: what it means to genuinely want to pay people correctly * When the machine makes it hard to be honest — bureaucracy, silos, and the reality of big productions * How a production finance executive became a certified energy healer * The masculine/feminine polarity conversation that high-achieving women need to have * What it means for a man to be a true pillar — and why strong women need that more, not less * The inner work that ambition alone can't replace ABOUT HEATHER HEUKRODT Heather Heukrodt is Head of Production Finance at Boat Rocker Media, one of the leading independent entertainment studios in the world, with credits spanning scripted drama, unscripted, animation, and documentary. With years of experience managing the financial infrastructure of major productions, Heather brings a rare combination of technical precision and industry fluency to one of the most complex roles in Hollywood. She is also the founder of Luminary Soul, an energy and sound healing practice dedicated to helping high-achieving leaders and healers break through self-sabotage and align with their highest vision. Her work integrates intuitive energy healing, chakra work, and somatic practices to support clients in transformation that goes deeper than strategy. 🔗 Learn more about Luminary Soul: https://www.luminary-soul.com [https://www.luminary-soul.com] 📲 Instagram: @_luminarysoul | @heukrodt LINKS: * Boat Rocker Media: https://www.boatrocker.com [https://www.boatrocker.com] * Subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts: https://mylawyerfriendpodcast.com/ [https://mylawyerfriendpodcast.com/] * Watch on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@MyLawyerFriendPod [https://www.youtube.com/@MyLawyerFriendPod] * Follow MLF on Instagram: @mylawyerfriend.podcast * Follow MLF on TikTok: @mylawyerfriendpodcast * Substack: https://mylawyerfriend.substack.com/ [https://mylawyerfriend.substack.com/] My Lawyer Friend is hosted by Anne Easton, entertainment and corporate attorney, and Brittany Ledford, serial entrepreneur. New episodes drop every other Wednesday. This podcast is for educational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. For advice specific to your situation, consult a licensed attorney.

Episode 6: What Musicians Don’t Know About Work-For-Hire Contracts (And What It Costs Them)

What does it actually cost to not have a lawyer when you sign a music deal? For songwriter and artist Parker Ainsworth, the answer was steep: a low flat fee for a song he wrote for a major motion picture — with performance royalties only, no mechanical rights, no sync income, no publishing revenue. And then the production company flipped his publishing to Concord. In this episode, Anne and Brittany sit down with Parker to talk through exactly what happened, what he didn't know when he signed, and what he wishes he'd asked for. This one isn't hypothetical — it's a real deal with real consequences, and it's more common than you think. Whether you're a musician, a filmmaker, a content creator, or anyone who's ever been handed a contract and told "it's standard" — this episode is for you. Parker is also a student of Somatic Experiencing, trained in the tradition of founder Peter Levine, and is pursuing a path toward psychology with a focus on somatic healing, and we get into an insightful discussion about these teachings. **What we cover:** - What a work-for-hire clause actually means and why it costs you more than the upfront fee - The royalties you're giving up when you sign without negotiating — performance, mechanical, sync, and publishing - What the industry standard actually looks like (hint: $2,500 for a major film theme is not it) - The one clause that would have changed everything for Parker - How to know when you need an entertainment attorney before you sign **Resource:** Download our Read Before You Sign guide, the first in the Series, specifically tailored for musicians, at the link below — it breaks down the key clauses every musician needs to understand before signing anything and includes negotiation scripts, red-flag clause explainers, and a step-by-step guide to reviewing your own deals. Get it at the link below. --- **LINKS:** - Read Before You Sign: Musicians ($37): https://mylawyerfriend.gumroad.com/l/rbys-musicians [https://mylawyerfriend.gumroad.com/l/rbys-musicians] - Subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts through our website: https://mylawyerfriendpodcast.com/ [https://mylawyerfriendpodcast.com/] - Watch on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@MyLawyerFriendPod [https://www.youtube.com/@MyLawyerFriendPod] - Follow MLF on Instagram: @mylawerfriend.podcast - Follow MLF on TikTok: @mylawyerfriendpodcast - Substack: https://mylawyerfriend.substack.com/ [https://mylawyerfriend.substack.com/] --- My Lawyer Friend is hosted by Anne Easton, entertainment and corporate attorney, and Brittany Ledford, serial entrepreneur. New episodes drop every other Wednesday. This podcast is for educational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. For advice specific to your situation, consult a licensed attorney.

Episode 5: AI + Your Attorney: Why Robots Need Limitations

AI is everywhere — in your business, your contracts, and your daily life. But should you let it replace your lawyer? Short answer: robots need limitations. In this episode, entertainment attorney Anne Easton and serial entrepreneur Brittany Ledford break down how to actually use AI the right way — for research, first drafts, and efficiency — without getting yourself into legal trouble. They cover which contracts you can handle on your own (with a little AI help), which ones absolutely need an attorney's eyes, and the red-flag clauses that AI will never catch on its own. Plus, they dig into the real consequences when things go wrong — like attorneys getting sanctioned for submitting AI-generated briefs with fake case law. AI is your assistant. Your attorney is your strategy. --- What We Cover - How attorneys (including Anne) actually use AI in their practice every day - The golden rule: AI for efficiency, your attorney for strategy - Contracts you can handle yourself vs. contracts that need a lawyer every time - Red-flag clauses AI won't catch — indemnification, favored nations, personal exposure - Real cases of AI-generated legal briefs with made-up citations - Why AI doesn't know what it doesn't know (and neither do you) - New laws on deepfakes and AI-generated content that every content creator and business owner needs to know - Why you can't copyright AI-generated work without significant human input (we don’t discuss this on the podcast but it’s in the GUIDE [see below]). --- Free & Paid Resources **FREE: AI + Your Attorney Checklist** Your quick-start guide to using AI the right way in your business and contracts. Includes a do/don't checklist, a breakdown of which contracts need attorney review, and key red-flag clauses to watch for. → Download free at mylawyerfriendpodcast.com [http://mylawyerfriendpodcast.com] (link in bio) **FULL GUIDE: AI + Your Attorney — The Complete Breakdown ($47)** Go deeper with clause-by-clause breakdowns, negotiation scripts for common scenarios, an expanded red-flag clause table, the latest AI and deepfake legislation affecting content creators and businesses, and AI copyright rules every entrepreneur needs to understand. → Available at mylawyerfriendpodcast.com [http://mylawyerfriendpodcast.com] --- Listen & Watch **Spotify:** Search "My Lawyer Friend" or visit the link in our bio **YouTube:** Watch the full episode on the My Lawyer Friend YouTube channel — we'd love to see you there **Apple Podcasts & everywhere you listen to podcasts** --- Connect With Us **Website:** mylawyerfriendpodcast.com [http://mylawyerfriendpodcast.com] **Substack:** Subscribe for legal templates, negotiation scripts, and resources we don't share anywhere else **Instagram & TikTok:** @mylawyerfriend.podcast; @mylawyerfriendpodcast **Anne Easton:** Entertainment & corporate attorney (your lawyer friend) | Blakemore Law | blakemore-law.com [http://blakemore-law.com] **Brittany Ledford:** Serial entrepreneur & your business buddy --- Credits: - Host, Producer, Creator: Anne Easton - Co-Host, Producer, Creator: Brittany Ledford - Production Services: Reasonable Volume for the services of Julie Carli and Elise Hu - Producer: Jake Easton IV - Editor: Todd Wiseman - Producer: Keenan O'Keefe-Easton --- *Disclaimer: This episode is for educational and informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. For advice specific to your situation, consult a licensed attorney.* --- **New episodes dropping regularly. Subscribe, leave a review, and share with a friend who needs to hear this. **