Warner Music Group's General Counsel, Paul Robinson, has been awarded the Recording Academy’s 2026 Entertainment Law Initiative (ELI) Service Award. This prestigious honor is given to individuals who have made significant contributions to the entertainment law community.
Robinson, who has held his position at WMG since 2006, was initially scheduled to receive the award last year but had to wait due to the cancellation of the 2025 annual ELI event. He finally received the recognition during a luncheon at the Beverly Wilshire Hotel in Los Angeles.
In his acceptance speech, Robinson expressed his gratitude and stated that he was "absolutely thrilled" to become the 20th member of this distinguished club. However, he emphasized that the award is not about him, but rather about the importance of serving clients' agendas and adapting to the ever-changing music industry.
Robinson shared four key principles for young music lawyers: detach ego from the process, constantly adapt and lean into the future, communicate simply and concisely, and bring positivity to solving problems. He also stressed the need for lawyers to strive for excellence in their profession, as it is a privilege to work with artists and songwriters.
The Recording Academy CEO, Harvey Mason Jr., praised Robinson for his commitment to the broader music community. Fred Wistow, WMG's first general counsel, presented Robinson with the award, describing him as "a man who cares more, knows more, works more and endures more than anyone else around."
This recognition is a testament to Robinson's dedication to the entertainment law community and his tireless efforts to promote excellence in the music industry.
Robinson, who has held his position at WMG since 2006, was initially scheduled to receive the award last year but had to wait due to the cancellation of the 2025 annual ELI event. He finally received the recognition during a luncheon at the Beverly Wilshire Hotel in Los Angeles.
In his acceptance speech, Robinson expressed his gratitude and stated that he was "absolutely thrilled" to become the 20th member of this distinguished club. However, he emphasized that the award is not about him, but rather about the importance of serving clients' agendas and adapting to the ever-changing music industry.
Robinson shared four key principles for young music lawyers: detach ego from the process, constantly adapt and lean into the future, communicate simply and concisely, and bring positivity to solving problems. He also stressed the need for lawyers to strive for excellence in their profession, as it is a privilege to work with artists and songwriters.
The Recording Academy CEO, Harvey Mason Jr., praised Robinson for his commitment to the broader music community. Fred Wistow, WMG's first general counsel, presented Robinson with the award, describing him as "a man who cares more, knows more, works more and endures more than anyone else around."
This recognition is a testament to Robinson's dedication to the entertainment law community and his tireless efforts to promote excellence in the music industry.
! I'm loving how humble he is about receiving this award, it's all about giving back to the community, right? And those four principles for young music lawyers are so relatable, especially with the whole "detaching ego from the process" thing - we've all been there 
. What I find really inspiring is that he's not just focused on his own career growth, but actually wants to make a positive impact on the people he works with 
. It's like, who wouldn't want to work for someone like that? The fact that Fred Wistow from WMG presented him with this award is also a nice touch - it shows they really value his contributions 
.
and I'm like totally curious, what exactly does Entertainment Law Initiative even do? is it like a special team within the Recording Academy? 
. anyway, back to Paul Robinson, isn't he just 20 years into that general counsel job at Warner Music Group already? like, what's his secret to success? 
He's been serving clients at Warner Music Group for ages (2006, can you believe it?) and still going strong! What impresses me is he's not trying to draw attention to himself, just wants to make sure his clients' agendas are covered. His advice to young music lawyers - detach ego, adapt & bring positivity 
- really resonates with me.
He totally deserves this award, he's been with Warner Music Group for like forever 
. His advice to young music lawyers is EVERYTHING 
! And I love how he emphasizes positivity and striving for excellence - that's what it's all about, right? 
Paul Robinson deservedly getting that ELI Service Award is like, totally awesome news! I've known him 2 be down 2 earth & genuinely cares about those in the music indusrty 
The way he spoke up abt detachin ego frm process & bring positivity 2 problem solvin is straight fire 
. It's great 2 see someone finally gettin recognition 4 all his hard work! I've heard Fred Wistow say some nice things about him, but this award shows we really know what we're talkin bout 
. Now he's part of that prestigious club & it's a big deal in the music law world 
but sometimes they just need a chill person to talk them down 
i mean, those principles he shared for young music lawyers are so relatable 
detach ego from the process, adapt and lean into the future... sounds like a recipe for success 
. It just goes to show how important a lawyer can be in helpin' artists and songwriters navigate the music business 
I'm so stoked for Paul Robinson! He totally deserves this award after all these years of doing amazing work in the music industry 
and still killing it 
i love how he stressed the importance of putting clients first and adapting to the ever-changing music industry 
it's not just about him, it's about making a difference in the community 
It's not just about him tho 
He's all about serving his clients and keeping up with the music industry's latest vibes 
And it's so cool that the Recording Academy is recognizing him for his commitment to the community 
the fact that he shares these 4 key principles for young music lawyers is really inspiring - detach ego, adapt to the future, communicate simply, and bring positivity to problems... its not just about him gettin an award, its about servin a bigger purpose! 
. And what's up with this award being given out every year? Don't they know that things can change in a year, and maybe the best person for the job isn't always the same person? 
.