Entertainment Law Clinic
The Entertainment Law Clinic is an advanced entertainment law course for students seeking practical experience in transactional and administrative aspects of the entertainment industry. Students will represent creators, businesses, and non-profits in the music, film and television, dance, and art businesses with a focus on trademark and copyright prosecution and counseling, contract drafting and negotiation, and royalty stream creation and retention.
If you have a legal matter regarding one of the issues listed above, or you believe the UH Entertainment Law Clinic could provide assistance, please fill out the form at the following link. After reviewing your responses, a representative from the Clinic will contact you.
Justen S. Barks | Entertainment Law Clinic Director and Adjunct Professor
Justen S. Barks is a commercial, intellectual property, and entertainment litigator. His intellectual property practice includes a mix of work with the U.S. Trademark Office, the Trademark Trial and Appeal Board, the Federal Circuit Court of Appeals, the U.S. Copyright Office, and copyright, patent, and trademark litigation.
Mr. Barks is the Director of the University of Houston Law Center’s Entertainment Law Clinic. He was an adjunct professor of law at UHLC, where he taught Entertainment Law (2014 to 2023).
Erin Rodgers | Adjunct Professor
Erin Rodgers is currently a partner with Rodgers Selvera PLLC in Houston. Her areas of practice include entertainment, nonprofits, intellectual property, and corporate matters. Erin earned her Bachelor of Music in Music Business from Loyola University New Orleans, and a J.D. from the University of Houston Law Center. She has extensive experience representing clients in all facets of the entertainment industry.
In addition to practicing law, Erin is a classically trained clarinetist, and also plays the piano, accordion, and guitar. Erin currently performs with Houston bands National Pleasure, The Wheel Workers, and Houston’s Accordion Super Stars, and is a Core Artist at Catastrophic Theatre. She also supports the local arts community through board service, volunteering, and advocacy for many local arts organizations.
Spring 2024
Top row from left to right: Matt Frost, Dir. Justen Barks, Sarah Wickell, Prof. Erin Rodgers, Prof. Yocel Alonso
Bottom row from left to right: Ben Solis, Erica Wheeler, Kiara Chatman, Daria Adler, Rachel Ann Regner
Pictured top left to right: Prof. Yocel Alonso, Graeme Joyce, Prof. Justen Barks
Pictured bottom left to right: Tay Lonas, Ben Solis, Bailey Pruitt, Jordan Marget
Spring 2023
Matthew Frost
Matt is a Houston native and attended the University of Texas. He graduated with a degree in Government and lettered for the football team. After graduation from UHLC, Matt is joining the litigation group at Winston & Strawn where he hopes to practice complex commercial litigation and international arbitration.
Benigo (Ben) Solis
Ben is a Houston native. He served as a student attorney with the clinic in Fall 2023 and Spring 2024. He received his undergraduate degree at the University of Houston where he graduated summa cum laude with a double major in Finance and Political Science. As a hobby musician who's played in local bands, his passion revolves around safeguarding creative works using intellectual property law and understanding the nuances of entertainment law.
During his time at UHLC, he served as secretary of the UHLC Sports & Entertainment Law Organization. In his free time, he enjoys playing and listening to music.
Kiara Chatman
Kiara, a Bay Area native, ventured to Houston to earn her Bachelor’s in Business Administration in Accounting from Texas Southern University. During her time, she excelled on the world-renowned debate team, achieving victories in international competitions in Montreal, Canada, and Berlin, Germany. Kiara also became a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Incorporated. Currently, she's a third-year law student at the University of Houston Law Center, aspiring to specialize in sports and entertainment law.
Erica Wheeler
Erica is a proud Kentuckian born and raised in Lexington. She attended the University of Louisville where she earned her bachelor’s degree in political science. After completing her master’s degree at Purdue University she joined the University of Houston Law Center’s Class of 2024. After graduation, Erica plans to pursue a career in copyright and trademark law.
Sarah Wickell
Sarah graduated with a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Georgia in 2018. Prior to pursuing law school, she acquired diverse experiences across the arts and media sectors. Her professional background includes film production, broadcast journalism, photography, and theater management. Sarah is also an accomplished dancer and musician, with over fifteen years of performance experience.
Rachel Ann Regner
Rachel Ann, a native Houstonian, graduated Magna Cum Laude from Seattle Pacific University with a degree in Economics. As an actress, singer, and dancer, she grew up immersed in the performing arts, cultivating a lifelong passion for the creative world. This early exposure sparked her interest in entertainment and intellectual property law, fields where she can combine her background in the arts with legal analysis and advocacy. Her goal is to use the legal system to empower creative professionals and enterprises.
