About Kurt Dahl
Kurt Dahl is a recognized entertainment industry expert who built his legal practice in parallel with a twenty-year career working inside the entertainment industry, giving him a rare, firsthand understanding of how deals operate across music, film, television, and digital media. His counsel combines lived industry experience, commercial insight, and deep legal training to protect and structure creative businesses with a practical, long-term perspective few practitioners can match.
Entertainment Lawyer
I have practised entertainment law across Canada since 2010, advising top-tier artists, rights-holders, producers, and companies at the highest levels of the music, film, television, and digital media industries. My practice is trusted by leading artists, labels, managers, publishers, filmmakers, and technology companies to handle complex, high-value matters where strategic judgment is as critical as legal precision. In recognition of my contributions to entertainment law in Canada, I was acknowledged by Canadian Lawyer in 2019, and in 2023 I joined national firm Miller Thomson LLP as a Partner in its Entertainment & Intellectual Property Law Group.
Drummer
I think what really separates me from my peers is that I’ve experienced the entertainment industry from all sides. For two decades, I toured the world with my band One Bad Son. We landed several top 10 songs including a #1 song, toured arenas with Def Leppard, Shinedown, and Judas Priest, and shared the bill with The Rolling Stones in front of 70,000 people. I spent more than twenty years as a working musician, touring internationally, recording, signing deals, and navigating the same pressures and power imbalances that my clients face today. I understand firsthand, how contracts actually play out on the road, in the studio, and at the negotiating table – not just how they read on paper. That perspective allows me to anticipate issues that other lawyers miss, to translate legal risk into real-world consequences, and to structure deals that protect long-term careers. My clients don’t get abstract advice: they get counsel shaped by lived experience in the industry, informed by success, and focused on outcomes that matter when the spotlight is one and the stakes are real.
Academic
Over the course of a decade of formal study, I focused my education on understanding how the entertainment industry actually functions—and where it was heading. In 2009, I successfully defended a Master of Laws (LL.M.) thesis examining the future of the music industry and how creators would continue to earn a living in the emerging digital economy. That work anticipated many of the structural shifts artists and rights-holders now face, and the full thesis remains publicly available in the Resources section of this site. I also hold a Juris Doctor (J.D.) and a Bachelor of Commerce (B.Comm) from the University of Saskatchewan, grounding my practice in both legal analysis and commercial reality. I continue to remain actively engaged in legal education and industry mentorship as a member of the Dean’s Advisory Council for the University of Saskatchewan College of Law.
Board Expert
I have served as the President of the Board of Directors for SaskMusic for 6 years, working with fellow musicians to help them obtain grant funding, deal with legal issues, and effectively develop their careers.
In 2017, I was elected to the Board of Directors for the Western Canadian Music Awards, and currently sit as the President of the Board.
I have been a Board Member for the Sask Jazz Festival since 2021.
Thought Leader
As a writer, my articles on the music industry have been published by Canadian Musician, Canadian Lawyer, DRUM Magazine, VICE Magazine, SOCAN Magazine and dozens of other industry publications.
Career Highlights
2023 – Joined national law firm Miller Thomson LLP as Partner in the firm’s Entertainment & Media Group.
2021–Present – Member of the Dean’s Advisory Council for the University of Saskatchewan College of Law.
2020–Present – Board Member of the Western Canadian Music Awards and BreakOut West. Currently sitting as President of the Board.
2020 – Voted Best Lawyer in Saskatoon for 2020 in Planet S Magazine.
2019 – Recognized as an industry leader in Entertainment Law by Canadian Lawyer in 2019.
2018 – Became an endorsed drummer with full endorsements from Istanbul Mehmet, Pro Mark Sticks, Evans drumheads and YC Drums.
2012–2019 – Toured arenas and shared the stage with Def Leppard, Judas Priest, Shinedown and The Rolling Stones.
2016 – Co-wrote and recorded a #1 song and several top 5 rock songs in Canada with One Bad Son.
2010–2020 – Guest lecturer and speaker on Entertainment Law at universities and music conferences across the country.
2010-2020 – Published author in the area of Entertainment Law both nationally and internationally.
2009–2015 – President of SaskMusic (6 year term)
2009 – Received Master of Laws degree in 2009 with thesis topic: the Future of the Music Industry, and how will musicians continue to thrive in the digital age.
2004 & 2005 – Received a Bachelor of Commerce degree with a major in Finance in 2004 and a Juris Doctorate degree in Law in 2005 .
Published in
Expert Legal Advice for Creatives
If you take your career in the entertainment industry seriously and want honest, expert legal advice to take it to the next level, you’ve come to the right place.