Life After Law School: Greg Wasserstrom

Life After Law School is a new series from Tulane Law School checking in with recent graduates as they begin their legal careers. In each spotlight, we’ll hear about their experiences after graduation, from navigating the transition into practice to finding their place in the legal profession. In this edition, we’ll hear from Greg Wasserstrom (L ‘24), who works at Yorn Levine. 

Tell us about your current role. What do you do? What does a typical day look like? 

YL runs the firm somewhat like an agency, with the goal of helping young attorneys learn how to be entertainment lawyers in a boutique law firm setting. To do that, you start by working closely with one partner. Currently, I work for the managing partner of the firm, David Krintzman, who represents some of the biggest names in Hollywood, including Matthew McConaughey, Zoe Saldana, Dan Levy, Mike Judge, Terry Crews, Cole Hauser, Art and John Linson, Michael Shannon, Liam Hemsworth and others. 

I have the opportunity to learn directly from David by working with his clients and getting exposure to the wide range of deals that come in at the highest level, from movie and television deals to brand equity and endorsement deals. Every day is different, but the deals are always coming in, and I get the opportunity to learn from them and work on a number of them. 

How did you land your first position after Tulane Law? Was your path what you expected, or did it take a few twists? 

I came to Tulane Law with the hope of landing a job at Yorn Levine. I had graduated from Tulane undergrad and was working at Creative Artists Agency in LA at the time, but I knew that I wanted to be an entertainment lawyer rather than an agent. 

In 2020, I heard Kevin Yorn (L ’90) speak at the Sports and Entertainment Conference. After listening to him talk about his career, how he runs his law firm and his vision for the future, I knew he was someone I wanted to work for. I quit CAA a few months later and applied to come back to Tulane for law school. I wasn’t sure how I was going to get the job, but I knew I wanted to go for it and hoped it would work out. 

Thanks to people like Professor Feldman, Sally Richardson, Eric Blevins, Treb Winegar and Angelina Ahrens (along with a lot of hard work), I was able to meet Kevin at the conference during my 3L year. That eventually led to an interview and, ultimately, the job. 

I started work the Monday after I took the bar and am now two years in. I wasn’t sure how I was going to end up here when I started this journey, but luckily, I was able to figure it out — thanks to Tulane. 

Looking back, what experiences at Tulane Law best prepared you for your career? 

The experience that helped prepare me for my career the most was helping start the Entertainment Law Society.  I had direct access to alumni in the industry and was able to network with a wide array of jobs.  From listening to speakers and the mentorship program, I was able to learn from attorneys who were practicing in the field and gain a much better understanding of the different career paths available. It also was a reminder of how important it is to take initiative and create opportunities for yourself.  I would not have gotten my job without that. 

What has surprised you most about practicing law (or working in your field) since graduating? 

I don’t know that it necessarily surprised me, but the thing I’m reminded of every day is how important your reputation is. You always have to be a person of your word and hold yourself to a high standard, because this is a relationship-driven industry. The way you conduct yourself, treat people and follow through on your commitments matters just as much as the work itself. Your reputation takes a long time to build, but it can be damaged very quickly, so I’ve learned that protecting it has to be a priority throughout your career. 

What advice would you give current Tulane Law students as they prepare for graduation and their first job? 

While I am speaking to those pursuing a career in entertainment law, the same advice can translate to any area of the law. I would advise them to use the resources around them. 

I would not have gotten my job had I not sought help from my professors, the administration and the alumni I met, including my boss, through the Entertainment Law Society and the Sports and Entertainment Law Conference. Tulane gives you the unique opportunity to have direct access to some of the most successful professionals in sports and entertainment.  Tulane alumni want to help Tulane students. If you take advantage of that, good things can happen. 

What's next for you? Are there any goals or areas of practice you're excited to explore? 

I am lucky to be in the position I am in and have no intention of going anywhere. I want to continue learning how to be a great entertainment lawyer, start to grow my business within the firm and follow our firm’s path in expanding into sports.  I am excited to continue my career at Yorn Levine.