Once you have secured a lawyer, he will likely work with you to find management, if you don’t have it in place already. They will do this for two reasons. First, they know that most labels are going to be more likely to sign you if you have a manager, and second, because they don’t want to be your manager themselves. Managing you would keep them from doing what they are genetically predisposed to do: make deals.

Given this genetic predisposition, your lawyer will become incredibly important, once you are presented with a contract. We will take an in-depth look at the types of contracts you might be presented with later in this section. For now, understand that a lawyer can play a very important role in your career prior to deals needing to be negotiated. In fact, they can frequently be the catalyst to getting these deals presented to you in the first place. Like managers, lawyers work closely with labels and others in the industry who can play a role in helping your career. Think of them as being another member of your team who can give you more exposure and connections. They come with the added advantage of being versed in contracts and negotiating, which is always useful. Additionally, they can frequently aid you in setting your business affairs in order early on in your career and thereby help you avoid pitfalls that could come back to haunt you later. Like all the members of your team, lawyers must be chosen carefully.