About Michael Machat

Michael Machat is one of the few private attorneys that has taken a case to the U.S. Supreme Court and won. Today Michael specializes in trademarks, music, and general business law. He routinely files trademark applications, litigates trademark and other business disputes, and represents artists, writers, musicians, and small businesses. Michael studied business, economics, and philosophy at Duke University, graduating Magna Cum Laude in 1980, before traveling west to study at UCLA School of Law, where he graduated in 1983.

After graduating and taking the bars in both California and New York, he went to work representing an impressive roster of artists, musicians, entertainment managers, and record producers while working for his father’s law firm. His father, Martin J. Machat, was a pioneer in the field of music law, having negotiated contracts for famous artists such as James Brown, Bobby Vinton, the Rolling Stones, The Who, the Kinks, Frankie Vallie, and the Four Seasons, Phil Specter, Phil Collins, Genesis, Peter Gabriel, ELO, the New Edition, John Waite and many others, including the middleweight boxing champion, Sugar Ray Robinson.

Michael’s mission was to help his clients get the best deals possible. Eventually, he wondered what it would be like to be on the other side of the desk as an entrepreneur with his own new projects and ideas. So he did, at first moving to London and managing his own artists including top ten acts at the time like Adamski, Guru Josh, and Seal. His journey took him to Transylvania and the land of vampires. There, he too had an idea — vampire wine. So he trademarked it and started a wine business on the side while continuing to practice music law. His practice has since morphed into trademark law and litigation.