Hidden Gems: Meet Josh Dreon of The Law Office of Joshua S. Dreon

Today we’d like to introduce you to Josh Dreon.

Hi Josh, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today. 
I moved from St. Louis, where I grew up, to LA to go to law school. I graduated from Southwestern Law School in 2019 and passed the bar that same year. As soon as I was licensed, I tried applying for a few jobs but wasn’t hearing back. I was actually driving for Postmates at this time to pay my bills. Then Covid hit. We were stuck at home, and finding a job would be harder than ever, I thought. So, I decided to start my own firm. I’m also a singer-songwriter and artist and was actively working on music since moving to LA. Luckily, I met a handful of people in the industry who I reached out to when I started the firm to see if they needed any legal assistance. A few of them, who are good friends of mine to this day, took me up on my offer to handle some projects for them. Namely, Krysta Youngs was instrumental in helping me early on. It was very slow at first, and I was still doing side gigs to make ends meet. Later that year, I received a call from the firm I interned at in school asking if I would want to perform some overflow work for them. I immediately jumped at the opportunity knowing I would start making more money and continue to learn, which was all I wanted. I contracted with other firms along the way as well. I love that structure as it allowed me to grow my personal client base while also being exposed to bigger projects I could learn from. During the next few years, I was lucky enough to receive word-of-mouth referrals from many current and former clients, which helped me to continue to grow. Today, my firm is thriving, handling matters across the board in entertainment, including music, TV and film, NFTs, influencer matters, etc. As an artist myself, I am ALL ABOUT fairness in this industry. I tend to represent a lot of indie creatives who tend to be bullied by the music industry, and I think it’s important to push back and ask for what we think is unfair. I tell my clients to rely on me to have the uncomfortable conversations so they can just focus on being creative. 

I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
Not everything has been smooth. As I mentioned, I was driving for Postmates to make ends meet the first year I had my firm open. I certainly didn’t enjoy it, and it doesn’t pay much for the time commitment. I have a lot of respect for the gig economy. There are a lot of expenses that come up in starting your own business: insurance, website, business services, software, etc. Those costs were one of the toughest parts the first two years. However, the biggest hurdle in doing what I did is the lack of consistency month to month. Just like with most small businesses, revenue can and will shift from month to month. Those ups and downs make it difficult to anticipate future income and implement a growth strategy. Some months were much slower than others, and they stung. Eventually, with enough clients and work coming in, I was able to stabilize my income to an extent so I could at least anticipate thresholds coming in the door. Starting a business isn’t easy, but if you are willing to put in the work and struggle a bit, it’s so very rewarding down the road. 

Appreciate you sharing that. What should we know about The Law Office of Joshua S. Dreon?
My firm specializes in music TV, and film. We’re known for helping creatives and indies fight for what they deserve. We’re not afraid to go toe to toe with anyone to get a fair outcome. As a creative myself, I genuinely care about how the industry is treating my clients and am glad to stand up for them whenever I can. Every day, entities and individuals offer predatory deals to talent without thinking twice. Many of these creatives will sign something blindly out of naive excitement that this deal will catapult their career or simply from a lack of understanding over what is being signed. This is why I say it’s so important to have a lawyer look at what you’re signing. I’m more than just a guy reading over your contract. I’m also there to explain things you may not understand and discuss with you how the deal does or doesn’t fit into your longer-term career goals. Having someone in your corner is a game-changer. Pay now so you don’t pay later. 

One example of fighting for what’s right that we’re proud of is songwriter fees. Songwriters are treated terribly in today’s music industry and looked at as disposable when nothing could be further from the truth. Without songwriters, you have no music, period. So, we’ve worked on getting fees where we can for our writers when their songs get cut by artists. If they label can pay the producer $10,000, they can find some money to pay the writers as well. All songwriters should be asking for fees and even points on records whenever they’re cut. There is strength in numbers. The more of us that fight this fight, the more likely we are to change it. 

If you have any questions about my services or want to hire me, please reach out to [email protected] or visit my website at www.dreonlaw.com. 

What quality or characteristic do you feel is most important to your success?
Most important to my success is my determination and persistence. There were many times in the beginning I felt like giving up, whether from imposter syndrome or a lack of new clients in the door. I’m so glad I didn’t, and I learned valuable lessons from those moments. When you stick out a tough situation and feel the pain in causes, you come out the other side stronger and better prepared. It makes you more resilient, and you gain confidence by proving to yourself that you can overcome obstacles and not only survive but thrive. 

Contact Info:

• Website: www.dreonlaw.com
• Instagram: www.instagram.com/joshdreonmusic
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/c/JoshDreonMusicOfficial