James M. O'Brien III; head, entertainment law section Poyner & Spruill LLP, Raleigh.

• Author: Parry, Amanda
• Position: Entertainment

Like a lot of young people, Jim O'Brien dreamed of being involved in the music industry. There were just two problems: "I didn't play an instrument, and I couldn't sing." After earning a bachelor's in English from UNC Chapel Hill, the Bethlehem, Pa., native went to law school, following in the footsteps of a favorite uncle. Studying at University of California Berkeley, "I got to meet a number of practitioners of entertainment law on the music side. It occurred to me this would be a great way to be involved." After graduating in 1992, he went to work for the Sidley Austin law firm in Los Angeles, representing musicians and assisting film-financing transactions.

After two years, he tired of the Hollywood scene and headed back East, where he persuaded Poyner & Spruill to let him set up an entertainment practice. "It was right around the...