a boutique law firm specialising in
small business, entertainment
and the creative arts.

Melbourne +61 3 9824 2244

Brisbane +61 7 3333 1844

enquiries@gisanicki.com.au

GI & Sanicki Lawyers is a boutique legal practice specialising in music & entertainment, commercial & property law, trade marks and intellectual property. We act for many of the biggest names in the entertainment industry and have expertise in all matters concerning creative small businesses. A dynamic firm in the heart of South Yarra, Melbourne and Fortitude Valley, Brisbane, we offer cost effective legal advice across a range of practice areas in which our lawyers have professional, practical and personal experience. Contact us today to arrange a free consultation.

Commercial

We offer practical legal advice designed to allow you to keep your focus where it should be - on your business! Our firm is experienced in all aspects of commercial law with a particular focus on the creative and hospitality industries.

Our speciality areas include business sales & acquisitions, commercial leases, liquor licensing and dispute resolution. More importantly, our firm is itself a small business, so we understand the need for commercial, cost effective solutions to the issues faced by our clients.

We have expertise and can advise on:

  • Corporate structures including drafting and advice in relation to Shareholder/Unit Holder Agreements, Partnership Agreements, Joint Venture Agreements, Company Constitutions;
  • Business Sales and Acquisitions with a particular focus on the creative industries; design, hospitality (cafes, bars, pubs restaurants), retail and professional services;
  • Commercial Contract review and negotiation including Supply and License Agreements, Contractor and Employment Agreements; Confidentiality Agreements; Franchise Agreements;
  • Commercial Leases including drafting, review, advice and negotiation;
  • Licensing including Liquor licenses, Planning Permits and licencing of Intellectual Property; and
  • Dispute resolution including: Mediation and negotiation, Magistrates Court and County Court proceedings, VCAT.
Darren Sanicki

Darren Sanicki

Principal

Darren Sanicki is a solicitor and founder of the firm which opened in March 2009. The firm's key practice areas of music, commerce and the creative arts are reflective of Darren‘s diverse background where both musical and commercial endeavours feature prominently.

Legal

Darren completed his law degree at Monash University with honours and has also completed post graduate courses in copyright law, trade marks, intellectual property and industrial designs. Darren also holds a Bachelor of Economics degree from Latrobe University.

Darren’s legal career commenced at a suburban firm in St Kilda practicing in areas such as conveyancing, business sales and acquisitions, leasing, corporate structures and civil litigation. After 12 months, Darren moved to Marshalls & Dent, one of Melbourne’s premier mid-tier firms with a prominent film and entertainment division. During this time, Darren commenced and expanded his music and entertainment client base while continuing to work in areas of commercial and property law. He was made a senior associate at Marshalls & Dent after 3 years.

After 5 rewarding years at Marshalls & Dent, Darren opened Sanicki Lawyers and has not looked back. Through his extensive networks in Melbourne’s music scene, Darren has consolidated a substantial and high profile music industry client base. The firm’s clients in both the entertainment and commercial sectors continues to grow as does the firm.

Darren also volunteers his services as a pro-bono solicitor for the Arts Law Centre of Australia and participates in numerous speaking engagements and conferences on behalf of Arts Law. Darren has been a board member of The Push since 2005, a not-for profit Government funded Victorian youth music organisation. He was elected Chairman of The Push in 2007, a post he still holds today. In 2010 Darren was a founding board member of Music Victoria, Victoria’s peak contemporary music industry body. Darren has also taught in the Music Business and Music Law degrees at Victoria University.

Entertainment background

Aside from a career in law, Darren is a part time musician and founding member of one of Melbourne‘s best known corporate party bands Havana Moon.

As an amateur songwriter, Darren is best known for having a song he’d penned, “More Than A Game” selected as the theme song to the now iconic Channel 9’s The Footy Show.

On finishing university, Darren’s first career was working full time in his studio Alleycat, producing recordings for various bands and artists, some of which were also signed to his label Alleycat. During this time, Darren also composed numerous advertising jingles  and television themes including the theme for the 1999 Australian Open Tennis.

In the late 90’s, Darren was employed as musical director of the Channel 7 variety show Live and Kicking. It was during this role that Darren began to forge many the contacts that today form the basis of his music and entertainment practice. Playing in the “Live & Kicking All-star Band”, Darren was privileged to share the stage with legendary Australian artists such as Human Nature, Deborah Conway, Archie Roach, James Reyne, Russell Marris, Joe Camelliri, Kamahl, and Kylie Minogue to name a few.

Darren@gisanicki.com.au

 

Guy Israeli

Guy Israeli

Principal

Guy was admitted to practice in 1997 and was appointed Partner at Marshalls & Dent Lawyers in 2004. Since his admission Guy has practiced primarily in commercial and property law.

Guy has advised property developers, businesses, individuals, financial institutions, tenants, landlords, Councils and other statutory bodies in wide range of commercial, property and construction matters including business acquisitions and dispositions, complex conveyancing, development agreements, construction contracts, specialised securities, trusts & estates, stamp duty and tenancy matters.

Guy’s vast experience has been gained through acting for individuals, Banks, small and mid tier business, national and multinational corporations.  Guy has acted for New Dimension, Wyllie Group, Original Juice Company, Procal Dairies, Genovese Coffee, Macquarie Bank, Northern Citrus, William Angliss Institute, Omega Chemicals, Legacy Homes and Nantong Constructions.

guy@gisanicki.com.au

moira-mckenzie

Moira McKenzie

Solicitor

Moira is a Solicitor at GI & Sanicki Lawyers who practices primarily in entertainment law. Moira is also a musician and a music lover. As an artist she has toured nationally and on the industry side, worked for indie label Vitamin Records and Mullum Music Festival. Moira has experience in booking, publicity and event management and has lectured in the Bachelor of Entertainment Business Management at JMC Academy.

Moira@gisanicki.com.au

amity-lovett

Amity Lovett

Solicitor

Amity is a commercial lawyer with experience in contracts and copyright as well as major transactions and commercial negotiations.

Amity holds a double Bachelor degree in Law and Arts (Hons) majoring in Art History, from The University of Melbourne. In 2006 she was admitted to practice and the same year was Editor of the Young Lawyers’ Journal and a member of Law Institute of Victoria Young Lawyers’ Executive Committee.

Commencing her legal career at Herbert Geer in the Corporate & Finance team, Amity drafted and negotiated commercial agreements and assisted in major corporate transactions and advisory engagements, including large scale sale of business.

Before joining GI & Sanicki Lawyers, Amity worked as an entertainment lawyer with Creative Legal, and has worked as a legal officer at The Arts Law Centre of Australia.

Amity has advised visual artists, dancers, producers, performing arts venues, photographers, arts festivals, musicians and arts organisations in relation to a range of intellectual property matters; mostly contracts, copyright and general commercial negotiations.

Amity has extensive experience in arts marketing, having worked in marketing and business affairs at Bangarra Dance Theatre and in media at The Australian Ballet. She has devised strategic marketing campaigns for Cirque du Soleil, Sydney Dance Company, the Arts Centre and Luna Park amongst others. Amity has also been involved in Australian Fashion Week.

In her spare time Amity designs a swimwear range; a project which supports Indigenous Australian artists in remote parts of Australia. Amity is also a trained TV presenter and newsreader and has appeared as an actor in TV series, commercials and music videos.

amity@gisanicki.com.au

charlette-hall

Charlotte Hall

Solicitor

Charlotte is a Solicitor at GI & Sanicki Lawyers and practices primarily in commercial and residential conveyancing, buying and selling businesses and general commercial law.

Charlotte is also passionate about the music industry and has experience in event management, tour management, bookings, publicity and band management. These experiences commenced back in Charlotte’s high school days when she was a volunteer for Freeza.

Charlotte@gisanicki.com.au

kim-gerty

Kim Gerty

Office Manager

Kim is the Office Manager at GI & Sanicki Lawyers and has joined us after completing a Trainee Legal Secretary Program at Minter Ellison Lawyers.

Kim has a keen interest in the music industry which started as a member of The Push’s Youth Advisory Committee and has many years experience working with small record labels, running promotional street teams and live music events.

kim@gisanicki.com.au

Recents News | View All

Music, Bitcoins and The Law.

6 May, 2013

So unless you’ve been living under a rock you’ve probably heard someone bandying about the term ‘Bitcoin’ lately.   People are selling luxury cars with them, you can rent and sell houses and you can order food, knick knacks and nerd shirts with the coin. For those not in the know, Bitcoin is an anonymous, decentralised unit of currency, completely digital, [...]

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Why the Hives owe 3/4 of a Million, and how to stop it happening to you.

19 Apr, 2013

When talking to up and coming bands about having someone manage their business and accounts, the reaction to  letting go of their financial oversight ranges from “we don’t have any money”, to “how can we trust them?”.    The reality is that as an artist you are exposed to the risk of fraud and abuse by [...]

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The Growth of the Valley and the Success of the “Music Nature Reserve”

5 Apr, 2013

A piece on the importance of Designated Entertainment Districts and the explosion of The Valley in Brisbane, by our guest writer, Samuel Tate. Check out his work at http://samueltate.wordpress.com/ where you’ll find articles on tech, law, arts and entertainment The Valley has been the darling of the Australian music scene for the past few years, [...]

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Creative Commons – Good for the artist but bad for business?

25 Jan, 2013

Thank you to our intern Sam Goudie for this interesting paper on the benefits and disadvantage of creative commons licenses in the digital age. With the rise of copyright enforcement, and the counter movement for the public, licensing and copyright is a minefield for Artists.  Consider the metal outfit All Shall Perish whose publishing rights were [...]

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Study reveals only 6% of a musician’s income comes from recorded music

17 Jan, 2013

A recent study conducted by a professor at the North-western University School of Law found that on average, only 6% of a musician’s income comes from recorded music. Although the survey established that music piracy resulted in a decrease in sales, it only had a minimal impact on a musician’s income. Furthermore, many of the [...]

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‘Love Me Do’ loses its copyright

15 Jan, 2013

The seventy year time frame for copyright in Australia has never more seemed like a luxury. Copyright for sound recordings in Europe lasts for fifty years and accordingly, two independent labels have released their own version of ‘Love Me Do’ by The Beatles as the copyright to that sound recording has expired. Although an extension [...]

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A selection of our music and entertainment industry clients includes: Matt Corby, Jessica Mauboy, Karise Eden, Owl Eyes, Justice Crew, Cat Stevens (Yusuf Islam), Sarah De Bono, Toni Childs, Natalie Bassingthwaighte, Stan Walker, Dean Geyer, Angus & Julia Stone (management), Mahalia Barnes, Prinnie Stevens, Baby Animals, Ralph Carr Management (Vanessa Amorosi, Kate Ceberano, Jon Stevens, Cosentino), Goldfields, Kingswood (management), DCup, M-Phases, Darren Percival, Bruce Woodley, Rachael Leahcar, The Trouble With Templeton, Diafrix, Loon Lake, LAKYN HEPERI, Asta, Electric Empire, Holland, Brian Mannix, The McMenamins, Emma Hamilton, Alice Burdeu, Bakehouse Studios, Jason Coleman's Ministry of Dance, Alpine, Two Bright Lakes, Owen Campbell, Jackson McLaren, Nathan Lovett Murray & Payback Records, Carmen Smith, Morgan Joanel, PHRASE, Obese Records, Dutch Tilders (Dec), Neda, Monique diMattina, Hayley Warner, Sal Kimber & The Rollin' Wheel, Sonic Animation, Erana Clark, Kamahl, Bobby Flynn, Havana Moon, Sarah Lloyde, Tin Alley, Wes Carr, Josh Abrahams, New Empire, Black Market Music, Candice Monique, Gizakiss Music ("Babba"), Mista Savona, Chris Doheny, Translator Records, Abbie Cardwell, Jess Paige, Pony Girl and The Outsiders, Matt Hollywood, Digital Primate, Renee Cassar, Which Way Music, Soundworks Touring and Management, Jazz Play Records, Perfect Crime Music, Delusion Records, Kiss FM, Tiny Monster, Groove Pill Records, Music Theatre Australia, genero.tv, Lone Eskimo Productions, TuneDay Music, Bobby Valentine, Emerald Entertainment, Gosteleradio, Boxwars, Tim Woods Entertainment, Marketing Melodies, Dirty Laundry, Chique Events, Noam Dishon, Cherry Red Productions, Hooked Up Records, Casey Barnes, Delusion Records, Blender Studios, K-Box Karaoke, Screentime, Showbiz Management.
In 2012 and 2013 we were thrilled to be selected by the finalists of "The Voice" as their legal representative. In previous years we have been selected to represent contestants on X-Factor, Australian Idol and Australia's Got Talent. We are also honorary legal representatives for the BIGSOUND Music Conference, Face the Music, Music Victoria, "SLAM", Multicultural Arts Victoria, Arts Law Centre of Australia and The Push.

Have An Enquiry?

We welcome your enquiries at any time
by telephone, email or in person.

FAX +61 3 9826 1538
SKYPE darren.sanicki
EMAIL enquiries@gisanicki.com.au

© 2013 GI & Sanicki Lawyers. All Rights Reserved.
Website by Matthew McIntyre.

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Melbourne

GI & Sanicki Lawyers
71A Grosvenor Street (cnr Chapel St)
South Yarra, VIC 3141

PH +61 3 9824 2244

Brisbane

GI & Sanicki Lawyers
6 Prospect Street,
Fortitude Valley, QLD 4006

PH +61 7 3333 1844