Entertainment at a Crossroads

Howard Leib, Esq., is an intellectual property and entertainment attorney, an educator, and a consultant with his own practice in both New York City and Ithaca, NY. He offers a full range of legal services, with specialties in entertainment, corporate, and trademark and copyright law, including litigation.

Through the years, Professor Leib has worked with artists such as Whitney Houston, B.B. King, KISS, BeBe & CeCe Winans, Bobby McFerrin, and Judy Collins. Corporate clients have included MCA, BMG, Atlantic Records, Arista Records, Rhino Entertainment, Shout Factory Entertainment, and 20th Century Fox. As a consultant, Professor Leib has worked with companies such as Nickelodeon, Rhino, and Golden Books Family Entertainment.

Professor Leib teaches both Entertainment Law and Music Law at Cornell University Law School; Entertainment Law, Music Law, and Trademark Law at Syracuse University College of Law; and Entertainment Law and Music Law at Touro Law Center. Professor Leib also teaches on a variety of legal topics to Chinese students through the Neoscholar and GEC programs as well as to Polish and Ukrainian students through the Center on American Studies.

Professor Leib holds a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology and Urban Studies from Columbia University. He received a Juris Doctor with honors from Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law, where he worked on both the Law Review and the Law Revue and was a member of the Moot Court Board. Professor Leib lives in Ithaca, NY, with his wife Marcie.

Jillian Clare is an award-winning actor, director, writer, and podcaster with over 20 years in the entertainment industry. She has appeared in projects across major networks and studios, including ABC, NBC, FOX, Nickelodeon, and Sony, with memorable roles in “Days of Our Lives,” “Victorious,” “Castle, and the indie feature “Pretty Broken.” As a filmmaker, Jillian has directed two feature films and produced three, establishing herself as a dynamic creative force behind the camera.

Jillian is the creator and host of the popular podcast “Thanks For Coming In” and co-created, co-directed, and starred in the immersive narrative podcast “The Case Within.”

Jillian serves on the SAG-AFTRA Los Angeles Local Board, is co-Chair of the Young Performers Committee, and was appointed to the Child Protection Task Force. A passionate advocate and environmentalist, she works closely with the Beagle Freedom Project on their mission to end animal testing. Jillian holds a Bachelor’s degree in Political Science and earned her Master’s in Legal Sciences from Cornell University in 2025.

Monika Mason, more affectionately known as Monique, is a native of Philadelphia, PA, residing in Central Florida. She holds a Bachelor’s in Communication Rhetoric from the University of Pittsburgh and a Master’s in Legal Studies from Cornell Law School.

Monique has 14 years of broadcasting experience in various markets as an on-air talent as well as in promotions and marketing. She has also managed artists, worked as an event promoter, and, in more recent years, served as a business consultant while continuing her now 22 years as music business educator.

Monique has enjoyed dabbling in voiceover work and podcasting, and she is a sought-after speaker on topics such as music business, intellectual property law, event planning, and women’s empowerment.