makayla rabago
ENTERTAINMENT LEGAL PROFESSIONALS ON THE RISE: MAKAYLA RABAGO
Written by: Milla Nguyen
I had the opportunity to interview my good friends and respected colleagues: Mehrin Saleem, Makayla Rabago, and Libby Morehouse who are currently on their way from being entertainment lawyers to becoming attorneys. All three women graduated from the Loyola Marymount Law School.
Makayla Rabago was born and raised in Los Angeles. Still, that doesn't stop her from quenching her travel bug. She has traveled to many countries around the world. One notable location is Spain, where she studied abroad in college. She went to the University of California, Irvine in Orange County. When she was younger, she was motivated to do something bigger with her life. At first, she thought she wanted to become a doctor but quickly found that blood made her queasy. In high school, she did mock trials and loved how she could express her voice robustly and analytically. In college, she studied criminology, which stemmed from her love for the show, “Criminal Minds”. She appreciated the investigative mindset in law. When she graduated, she knew she wanted to pursue her dream by attending Loyola Marymount’s law school.
Many students go to law school for many different forms of legal careers, but it wasn’t until arriving there that Makayla considered going into entertainment law. After talking to filmmakers at various studios, she understood the difference between business legal affairs and general counsel positions.
For reference, A General Counsel is a legal leader who manages the legal team and provides legal advice on a range of topics, including corporate governance, contracts, regulatory compliance, and intellectual property. They also ensure that the organization complies with applicable laws and regulations. Oftentimes, the CEO and higher executives rely on them for advice. Business Legal Affairs roles include entertainment lawyers, property negotiators, and other specialists in contract agreements. Most of the time, companies will have these specialists and lawyers work together on multiple projects.
Makayla noticed that this was transactional work and wanted to be a litigator first. A litigator is a lawyer specializing in representing clients in legal disputes or litigation in a court of law. Litigators handle all aspects of the litigation process, from the initial investigation to the final appeal. They may work for a private law firm or a government agency. Makayla would love to work as a lawyer specializing in event spaces, especially for musicians. Other examples she gave were large audience events at film festivals like Cannes or Sundance. She mentioned how she’s a fan of the AMC Stubs program, which allows patrons to see multiple movies every week for a discounted price. Combining her love for all forms of entertainment and her legal skills, she has proven herself to be multi-faceted.
Makayla spoke about how the Entertainment Law Review allowed her to make friends and encouraged her to further pursue a career in entertainment. Makayla mentioned that there were three major publications at the Loyola law school. You had to apply and were placed in specific areas. She recalled the members' group trip to the Academy Museum. She said, “ELR was an all-encompassing publication and proved helpful to many law school students when exploring different ideas.”
I asked Makayla what three words she would use to describe herself. Makayla said she would describe herself as ambitious, social, and lighthearted. When I met Makayla, the same time that I met Mehrin, she was poised and kind. She seemed curious about entertainment and was unafraid to go where the wind took her. In entertainment, creatives struggle with spontaneity and crave a set structure to minimize risk. This is not always the case. It’s important to be able to adapt.
Makayla said that her favorite classes were copyright and trademark. While she’s in general practice now, she enjoyed the niche classes that she took. One that stood out to her was a legal innovations and services class. The professors brought in guest speakers from firms that helped clients from firms that helped clients from underrepresented countries and with fewer resources. Digital technology today is essential in numerous cases. Makayla gave the example of software that takes police cam footage and analyzes all the major time points in that isolated incident. In current issues like police brutality being at the forefront, technology has changed how legal professionals analyze cases.
Regarding advice on how filmmakers can be more prepared, Makayla said, “I’m on the other end of it. Rather than making the deals, we see how the deal is solidified at the end. Filmmakers might assume things are going well, but problems can ensue when starting new ventures. Sometimes, it could end in a lawsuit.” She advises people to ask many questions and to have as much integrity as possible.
During Makayla’s internship journey, she spoke about working for a judge and seeing various attorneys. She said her eyes opened when she realized how vast the legal ecosystem is, consisting of small boutique firms and large legal firms. Her second internship was the pre-cursor to her current position at DLA Piper. She was able to shadow and participate in entertainment deals as well. She said, “ I appreciate that many women of color like us can expand both the legal and film spaces to encourage and improve diversity.”
I asked Makayla if she had any advice for her younger self. She would like to say, “It’s not always that serious. Everything happens for a reason.” She said that she wants to be comfortable with taking her time. She said, “Regarding law school, competition is not always healthy. I think striving to be better and respecting others is worth more of your time. In my opinion, collaborating is the foundation of what we do. You are going to get as much as you give. I love hearing what people are doing and connecting in that way.”
Makayla would like to thank and acknowledge her mom for always supporting her on this journey. She said, “I love my mom. She has always been my rock. She’s a fighter, and I inherited that from her. I admire her positivity and the fact that she’s always cheering me on. I tell her that she’s immortal. She’s here forever. That’s the only way I can see it.”