Retrograde Legal was founded to help creatives, entrepreneurs, troublemakers, and misfits protect their art, build their brand, and most of all…
raise some hell
We represent the people who make a living through their creativity, challenge authority, and occasionally catch heat for it. If that’s you, then you're in the right place.
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Musicians, comedians, filmmakers, dancers — if you perform for a living, we work to make sure you're performing on your own terms. We've seen the contracts venues and labels try to push. We push back.
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Tattoo artists. Fashion designers. Jewelers. Hair stylists. Body modification artists. Piercers. If you work with your hands, you're a craftsperson, and your business deserves legal protection that understands.
Who we Help
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Whether you just landed your first brand deal or you're running a full creative production company, we protect your content, your contracts, and your brand.
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Authors, journalists, podcasters, and bloggers. If you publish, you have legal exposure. Copyright theft, defamation claims, unfair agreements. We protect independent voices so you can keep saying the things that matter.
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You make businesses look good by making their content, managing their social, and fine-tuning their marketing. We make it all legal and make sure you get paid what you’re worth.
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Art as protest is a long and proud tradition. We work closley with artists and activist organizations to make good trouble and drive positive political change.
What We Do
Creatives don't just need contracts. Sometimes they need a fighter. From protecting your art to protecting your freedom, Retrograde covers the full legal journey of the creative life.
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Flat Fee Entity Formation And Operating Agreements
Put a legal suit of armor around yourself and your work. We help creatives and entrepreneurs choose the right business structure, file the paperwork, and set it up in a way that actually protects your personal assets from business liability.
Flat Fee Trademark Registrations
Your brand name is an asset, not just a vibe. Trademark registration turns it into something you legally own. We handle federal filings with transparent, flat-fee pricing. No surprises.
Contract Drafting & Negotiation
Collaboration agreements, client contracts, vendor deals, we draft them right and negotiate the parts that matter. Ever signed something and regretted it later? Yeah, let’s stop that.
Brand Consulting
Branding is hard enough without legal landmines. We combine marketing expertise with legal strategy to make sure your brand is strong and protected, solving problems before they happen.
Trademark Disputes and Litigation
Registered your trademark? Great. Now you have to protect it. We monitor for infringers, send cease-and-desists, and litigate when necessary. If someone else is trying to cancel yours, we fight to keep it.
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Street Art, Protest, & Activism Charges
“Artists are here to disturb the Peace”-James Baldwin. If you’re pissing someone off, you’re doing something right. Whether you used art as protest or just had a little too much fun after a gig, you might catch heat. But you also have rights. When the accusations start, we defend you and your freedom.
Lifestyle Charges
The creative lifestyle doesn't always fit neatly inside the law. We're not here to judge how you live. We're here to protect your right to keep living it. From minor charges to more serious matters, we handle cases with discretion and without lecture.
Professional and Business Charges
As a creative professional or business owner, criminal charges expose you more than most. When the stakes are high, you need a lawyer who understands both the business and the fight.
What we do
Creatives don't just need contracts. Sometimes they need a fighter. From protecting your art to protecting your freedom, Retrograde covers the full legal journey of the creative life.
Protecting the Art (and the artist)
Intellectual Property.
Own your art and protect it with copyright registrations, enforcement, and more.
Contracts and Negotiations.
Make sure your contracts are working for you with attorney reviews, custom contracts, and negotiations
Artist Rights.
You have rights as an artist beyond intellectual property. We fight for you to protect your labor rights, right of publicity, and more.
Building The Brand (and the business)
Entity Formation and Operating Agreements.
Own your art and protect it with copyright registrations, enforcement, and more.
Brand Consulting and Trademark Protection.
Make sure your contracts are working for you with attorney reviews, custom contracts, and negotiations
Service Agreements And More.
Every business needs contracts in place. Service agreements, contractor agreements, terms of service. We got you covered.
Raise Some Hell (Defend your freedom)
Artists have a tendency to speak up, live how they want, and get in hot water. When that happens, we jump in with you and defend you till the end.
Defending Your Freedom: Criminal Charges.
Criminal charges affect artists, entertainers and businesses in several ways. Whether they’re due to activism, business, or plain bad luck, we defend both your rights AND your career.
Defending Your Rights: Civil Cases.
As an artists its your job to express yourself and raise hell (yes we said it). Some people will try to silence you. Not if we can help it.
Meet The Team
A ragtag team of misfits from big law, corporate marketing, and the entertainment industry. High-profile clients. We left all that behind and took the tricks with us. Now we use them for the people who actually need them.
Joseph “Rocky” Mckay Esq.
Gus Campbell Esq.
The Kult Leader
Contact us.
You ready to turn the tables?