Jessie Schuster ‘25 Publishes Article in Entertainment Law Journal

Recent Hofstra Law graduate Jessie Schuster published her award-winning article “Re-recordings (Taylor’s Version): Being Master of Your Masters,” in the New York State Bar Association Entertainment, Arts and Sports Law Journal, volume 36. Having won the law student initiative writing contest for her article, Schuster had the opportunity to publish prior to Commencement 2025.

Hofstra Law News spoke with Schuster about the origin and inspiration for the article, and how her Hofstra Law experience helped her achieve these accomplishments.

Congratulations on winning the Law Student Initiative Writing Contest and the publication of your article! What is the article about?

The article is a deep dive into copyright law from the perspective of music, and more specifically re-recordings.

Anyone who has been following the latest trends in the music industry is aware that re-recordings are becoming more popular, especially with the recent success of Taylor Swift’s Eras tour. What many people don’t know is that the legal logistics of these re-recordings started almost two decades ago due to contracts. My paper looks at what has changed in recent years that would allow an artist to re-record their masters without having to go to extreme lengths legally.

You’ve been researching this topic for some time, beginning in college. Can you give us the background on what inspired you to write this paper and how it evolved into the article?

I began my research seven years ago before I decided to pursue a career in law. At that time, I knew I wanted to help prevent young artists and musicians from getting taken advantage of – as Taylor Swift did having to fight for the rights to her own work.

When at Penn State as an undergrad, I had to write a paper on a current issue in internet law. I focused my paper on Taylor Swift and her legal disputes at the time, which involved Spotify and their royalty rate system. I coupled what I already knew as a fan and a follower of pop culture with a deep dive into the legal intricacies, laws, and contracts.

When pursuing law school, I knew I had to continue to pave my own path by taking courses that would allow me to build my knowledge of music law. One of these courses was Intellectual Property Colloquium. As I told my professor at the time, this paper is essentially my life-long professional thesis – beginning as my final paper for my internet law course in college, and then becoming the basis for my law school admissions essay, and eventually turning into the paper for the Colloquium, which was the article that was published this Spring.

How has your experience at Hofstra Law influenced or contributed to the career you intend to pursue?

It’s still my intention to pursue entertainment law after the Bar Exam. In choosing Hofstra Law, I knew that I could customize my academic path to fit my goals and continue carving out a path for myself.