Sasha Safavi, former head of legal and music licensing at UnitedMasters in the United States, has left the distribution and label services company to launch Syndicate, a law firm serving creators, athletes and companies.
UnitedMasters and Audiomack are among the firm’s first clients, alongside Rebellion Records and sports media company Overtime.
Background and early clients#
Safavi spent much of the past decade in music distribution, working at TuneCore before joining UnitedMasters. At UnitedMasters, he handled direct licensing deals with digital service providers (DSPs) and other commercial agreements, and oversaw artist deals and brand partnerships with the NFL, NBA, TikTok and the 2022 World Cup.
He also worked on brand campaigns for AT&T, Meta and McDonald’s. UnitedMasters, founded by Steve Stoute, is connected with Stoute’s brand agency Translation; across the two companies, Safavi oversaw about $250 million in transactions over the past five years.
“Our clients become family. We make memories together, and we are right there for the moments that change the trajectory of their lives,” Safavi said in a statement. “We move with grace and integrity on their behalf, while pushing them towards greatness internally. In a rapidly evolving entertainment industry, we’re building a law firm for the next generation of global leaders.”
Firm structure#
Safavi, who was named among independent music’s power players earlier this year, is setting up Syndicate across three divisions:
- Creators
- Athletics
- Corporations
The firm is designed to operate more as a business partner than a traditional law firm. It is building an in-house AI tool called Aaliyah and hiring data analysts and engineers to help clients navigate the legal landscape.
