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

GI & Sanicki Lawyers is a boutique legal practice specialising in music & entertainment, commercial 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, 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 that is designed to allow you to keep your focus where it should be - on your business. Our firm is experienced in all aspects of commercial and property law, including business acquisitions, commercial leases and civil litigation. 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:

  • Agreements including: Shareholder/Unit Holder Agreements, Partnership Agreements, Joint Venture Agreements, Leases, Sub-leases, Company Constitutions;
  • Business arrangements including: Business Sale and Acquisition, Business structures including partnerships, joint ventures, companies and trusts, corporate restructuring, transactions, etc;
  • Licensing including: Liquor licenses, planning disputes; 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.

Music

Darren is a founding member of  the cover band Havana Moon, now in its 22nd year and still regarded as one of Melbourne‘s premiere corporate party bands.

Divided between a career in law and music during his initial university days, fate would momentarily intervene in 1994 when Darren was fortunate to have a song he’d penned, “More Than A Game” selected as the theme song to the now iconic Channel 9’s The Footy Show.

The success of the More Than a Game presented new opportunities for Darren who began 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 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

Ben Strong

Ben Strong

Senior Associate

Legal

Ben Strong completed a Bachelor of Arts/Bachelor of Laws (Hons) at Deakin University 2002.

Ben was admitted to practice in 2004, having completed his Articles of Clerkship with employment/personal injury firm Ryan Carlisle Thomas in 2003. He remained with the firm until 2006, practicing primarily in immigration and personal injury law. Whilst with the firm Ben represented applicants for visas before the Migration Review Tribunal, the Refugee Review Tribunal and the Federal Magistrates’ Court. He also represented Plaintiffs and Defendants in personal injury matters before.

In 2006 Ben completed a Graduate Diploma in Communications Law at the University of Melbourne, the focus of which was Intellectual Property and Media Law.

Ben subsequently joined the Communications Law Centre, a specialist organisation providing free advice to the community in the areas of Internet law, telecommunications law, defamation and intellectual property. In late 2008 Ben co-authored and edited the ‘Internet Law’ Chapter of the 2009 Redfern Community Legal Handbook, published by UNSW Press.

 

 

From 2008 – 2010 Ben worked as a full-time academic with Victoria University.  Ben taught and researched extensively in the fields of media law, intellectual property law, communications law, and internet and telecommunications law. Ben continues to teach Intellectual Property Law and Media Law at VU. He also provides ongoing legal training sessions to community radio broadcaster 3RRR.

Ben has also worked on projects with the Intellectual Property Research Institute of Australia (IPRIA) and the Centre for Media and Communications Law (CMCL). Ben is a continuing member of IP Australia and Music Victoria.

Music

Ben has also spent six years playing in bands in Australia, and has a wealth of music industry experience. Ben has been in bands that have released recordings through major labels and independently, toured Oz, played the odd festival and at most reputable venues in Melbourne (and many not so reputable ones).

Ben@gisanicki.com.au

moira-mckenzie

Moira McKenzie

Solicitor

Moira was admitted to legal practice in 2010 after completing a double degree in Law and Contemporary Music at Southern Cross University.  She joined GI & Sanicki Lawyers in 2011.

She has previously volunteered at Women’s Legal Service Victoria and was a Project Officer at the Judicial College of Victoria. Before joining GI & Sanicki Lawyers, Moira worked in alternative dispute resolution at the Telecommunications Industry Ombudsman.

Moira is also a musician and a music lover. She has toured nationally as both a cellist and singer/songwriter. On the industry side, Moira worked for indie label Vitamin Records for 5 years and is part of the festival team at the annual Mullum Music Festival. Moira has experience in merchandising, booking, publicity and event management and she has lectured in the Bachelor of Entertainment Business Management at JMC Academy.

Moira@gisanicki.com.au

charlette-hall

Charlotte Hall

Paralegal

Charlotte is a Paralegal at GI & Sanicki Lawyers and has graduated from her Bachelor of Laws and Music Business Degree at Victoria University.  She has worked at GI & Sanicki Lawyers for two-and-a-half years and in this time has gained extensive experience 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

Recents News | View All

John Butler Settles With Yoghurt Company After Advert Steals Riff

21 May, 2012

We are told that a confidential but satisfactory agreement in relation to the use of a song in the advertisement that bore a strong similarity to the John Butler composition “Zebra” has now been reached. Wish they would tell us what that is! We do note however that the advertisement will no longer contain this particular [...]

Read More…

Oh Delta, what have you done!!

1 May, 2012

Oh Delta, what have you done!!  Ok – so we’ve listened to both tracks. Then we listened again….and again. We were asked today for our professional opinion – and spent the afternoon arguing among ourselves. The similarities are there for all to hear – and they exist. The underlying groove of the verse, the piano, [...]

Read More…

GI & Sanicki Lawyers selected to represent the top 48 contestants from “The Voice”

30 Apr, 2012

It is such a thrill for us to have been selected by the Top 48 contestants of “The Voice” as their legal representative.  We have been watching the show with great interest (like the rest of the country) and congratulate those contestants that got through the Blind Auditions. You guys were awsome! So tonight it really [...]

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Matt Corby and Owl Eyes in The Age Top 10 Artist Picks for 2012

29 Mar, 2012

The Metro section of The Age has named our clients Matt Corby and Owl Eyes in the top 10 acts they think are going to be huge this year and beyond. Read more: http://www.theage.com.au/ entertainment/music/young-talent-time-20120322-1vkt3.html

Read More…

High Court Upholds 1% Cap on Broadcast Royalties for Sound Recordings

The High Court has today handed down its decision in Phonographic Performance Company of Australia Limited (PPCA) & Ors v Commonwealth of Australia & Ors. The case concerns the cap in the Copyright Act 1968 for royalties payable for the radio broadcast of sound recordings. While price caps are a common form of economic regulation, [...]

Read More…

The Hot Seat: Darren Sanicki

8 Feb, 2012

The following interview appeared in The Music Network Magazine 8 February 2012 by Lars Brandle What’s a typical week in your life as a music biz lawyer?  It’s not that exciting, actually. Almost all of it is spent in my office working quite long hours and dealing with the many issues our clients face on [...]

Read More…
A selection of our music and entertainment industry clients includes: Matt Corby, Owl Eyes, Stan Walker, Cat Stevens (Yusuf Islam) and "Moonshadow" the Musical, Ralph Carr Management (Vanessa Amorosi, Kate Ceberano, Jon Stevens, Paris Wells), Justice Crew , M-Phases, Jason Coleman's Ministry of Dance, Alpine, Holland, Diafrix, Brian Mannix, Nathan Lovett Murray & Payback Records, Carmen Smith, Goldfields, Morgan Joanel, Altiyan Childs, Emma Hamilton, PHRASE, Alice Burdeu, Dean Geyer, Obese Records, Dutch Tilders (Dec), Electric Empire, Hayley Warner, Sal Kimber & The Rollin' Wheel, Sonic Animation, Erana Clark, Tenielle Neda, Kamahl, Dash & Will, Bobby Flynn, Havana Moon, Sarah Lloyde, Two Bright Lakes, Tin Alley, Wes Carr, Josh Abrahams, New Empire, Black Market Music, Candice Monique, Metals, Matt Walters, Gizakiss Music ("Babba"), Mista Savona, Marty Simpson, Deja, Will Stoker and the Embers, Chris Doheny, Little Lovers, Translator Records, Abbie Cardwell, Jessica Paige, Pony Girl and The Outsiders, Matt Hollywood, I Can't Believe It's Not Countdown, 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, Monique Dimattina, Marketing Melodies, Dirty Laundry, Chique Events, Noam Dishon, The McMenamins, Cherry Red Productions, Hooked Up Records, Casey Barnes, Delusion Records, Blender Studios, K-Box Karaoke, Screentime, Showbiz Management.
In 2012 we were thrilled to be selected by the Top 48 contestants 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, Multicultural Arts Victoria and The Push.

Have An Enquiry?

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

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

PH +61 3 9824 2244
FAX +61 3 9826 1538
TOLL FREE 1800-DSLAWS
SKYPE darren.sanicki
EMAIL enquiries@gisanicki.com.au

Would you like to work at GI & Sanicki Lawyers?

If you are interested in joining us here at GI & Sanicki Lawyers
feel free to send your resume to enquiries@gisanicki.com.au.

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