Meet Joshua Lastine: Founder of Lastine Entertainment Law

The legal landscape of the entertainment industry is shifting as creative production moves toward new media, social media, and the frameworks of Internet 3.0. This evolution requires a specialized approach to transactional law to protect the intellectual property and livelihoods of a diversifying range of creators.

Joshua Lastine, the founder and managing partner of Lastine Entertainment Law, has positioned his practice to address these technical and contractual shifts. Based in Beverly Hills, California, the firm focuses on representing a broad spectrum of talent, including social media influencers, podcasters, animators, and traditional production companies.

Legal Frameworks for New Media and Internet 3.0

As digital platforms evolve, the nature of entertainment contracts has expanded beyond traditional studio deals. Lastine Entertainment Law provides representation for contracts specifically tailored to new media, social media, and the emerging structures of Internet 3.0.

The firm’s work in these sectors includes rights acquisitions and the structuring of development and production deals. This specialization is designed to protect the artistry of creators who operate in decentralized or digitally native environments.

The scope of these transactions varies significantly in scale. Verified project experience for the firm spans from $30K YouTube branding, endorsement, and commercial deals to $100M+ Netflix series.

Professional Background and Industry Experience

Joshua Lastine launched Lastine Entertainment Law in 2021, though the firm was formally known as Lastine Impressions. His transition to private practice followed a career as an attorney for major industry players, including ViacomCBS and Lionsgate.

Lastine’s academic background includes a B.A. In economics from the University of Northern Iowa. He also attended St. Edmond Catholic School before moving to Los Angeles in 2011 to pursue a career in entertainment law.

Beyond his transactional practice, Lastine serves as an adjunct lecturer on entertainment business law at The Los Angeles Film School. In this role, he provides instruction to novices entering the entertainment space.

Firm Infrastructure and Specialized Personnel

The firm incorporates a mix of legal and technical expertise to manage its operations. Silvia Lastine serves as the chief financial officer and brings a background in technology and mathematics.

Silvia Lastine holds a degree in Computer Science and Mathematics and earned a law degree from Bucharest Ecological University in 2014.

The legal team also includes associate attorney Randi Frisby, who joined the firm in 2023. Frisby holds a Bachelor of Arts in History and a minor in Sociology from Wake Forest University and a Juris Doctor from the University of Kentucky, J. David Rosenberg College of Law.

Frisby earned an LL.M. In Entertainment, Music, and Sports Law from the Pepperdine Caruso School of Law, further expanding the firm’s capacity to handle complex talent representations.

Strategic Approach to Entertainment Transactions

The firm describes its approach as focusing on the protection of the livelihood of various creative roles, including writers, producers, directors, and actors.

In a discussion regarding his professional philosophy, Lastine noted that the nature of being a transactional dealmaker in Hollywood requires innovation and the willingness to take calculated risks.

You must be innovative and take risks to be an effectual dealmaker; and while most attorneys are “risk adverse”, I am very much “ask for forgiveness, not permission” kind of guy.

Joshua Lastine, via CanvasRebel Magazine

This approach is applied to branding and commercial advertising deals, as well as general talent contracts, as the industry continues to integrate with new technological platforms.