Inspiring Conversations with Jennine Nwoko of CJN Law Group

Today we’d like to introduce you to Jennine Nwoko.

Hi Jennine, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
I was born in Finland to a Finnish mother and a Nigerian father. When I was a kid, I lived in India and Kenya because of my mom’s job and knew from a young age that I would move abroad. I went to high school in Finland but after graduating I took two years off to work, travel and figure out where I wanted to go to school.

I visited LA for three months, which turned to six months, and then finally decided to move to Los Angeles from Finland to go to college and law school after. I knew I wanted to be a lawyer from a young age but wanted to have access to a larger market so I decided on L.A.

After law school, I worked in business & IP litigation before focusing my practice on transactional law (contracts), and specifically music and talent representation. I helped form and negotiate contracts and worked closely with talent. After a few years of working at law firms, I decided to open my own law firm, where I focus on representing individuals and companies in entertainment and business. As I am only one person (thought I have a couple of contract attorneys who work for me), I realized that there are so many people I can’t help, and that made me think of a platform where individuals with a smaller budget can get legal representation. Last year, I launched Legal 4 Creatives that is a platform for creative, entertainers and entrepreneurs that allows them to gain access to a lawyer (consultation calls and contract review) as well as to contract templates.

My plan for the following year is to keep representing my clients but also focusing on growing L4C.

Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
I wouldn’t say my life has been super bumpy but it hasn’t been all the way smooth either. The first and probably biggest challenge I faced was moving to a foreign country. Everything about it was tough from not being around my family and friends to not having a SSN/credit score and having to navigate being a foreigner in the US. The second challenge was working while in college and splitting my time and then surviving law school lol.

After graduating and passing the Bar on my first try, I feel like my hard work had finally paid off and things got smoother from there. Since then, I’ve had jobs and job offers, being recruited from each of my prior firms, and finally being able to start my firm and make profits.

Then COVID happened. I decided to fully go on my own in February of 2020 and signed an office lease. I was so excited and motivated, but then a month later everything shut down. I panicked and couldn’t believe I had left a “steady job” making 6 figures. After a couple of months, things started to pick up as people left their jobs and started businesses, and talent/creatives started to pivot and look for other opportunities. The lockdown eventually created new business opportunities for many, which trickled down to a lot of business for me as well. Looking back the lockdown was a gift and a curse – it forced me to think outside the box and go with the flow.

Appreciate you sharing that. What should we know about CJN Law Group?
My law firm, CJN Law Group is an entertainment and business law firm. I specialize in assisting talent and companies secure their contracts and intellectual property. I basically draft & help negotiate deals in music, fashion, fitness, film/TV and brand deals. My experience from being at large law firms representing Fortune 500 companies in litigation, working for a boutique music law firm with big-name talent on their music deals and catalogue sales, and helping upcoming influencers secure their first 6-figure deals gives me a unique perspective of how the best deals are formed in the perspective of also avoiding litigation.

Brand-wise, I’m proud of my IG @corporatechika which has helped me bring awareness to intellectual property issues that talent and artists face, as well as highlighting Legal4Creatives.

I want readers to know that legal representation as a talent or creative is super important, and if you have a smaller budget currently, you should definitely check out www.l4c.co to get representation for a low price. For individuals & companies who need representation and help with contracts or IP matters, contact my firm at [email protected]

What were you like growing up?
Growing up I was really into arts (acting, dance and even rapping at one point) and thought I would work in the arts/entertainment. At some point, however, I decided I wanted to become a lawyer and help people. Back then in my late teens/early twenties, it was kind of cliche, but throughout the years I figured out how I could help people, and especially those in entertainment or creative industries.

I was interested in learning more and taking on new challenges. I’ve always been friendly and outgoing, and have always been into meeting new people, traveling, and networking.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.cjnlawgroup.com
• Instagram: instagram.com/corporatechika
• Other: www.legal4creatives.com 

Image Credits
Justin Cox