Influencers, Artists and Trendsetters Negotiation Competition and Conference
Content is king. We live in the golden age where content creators, artists, and influencers wield power and can shift culture. Brands want to collaborate. Creators need to be sophisticated, understand deal points and protect their brand and intellectual property. In 2024, the University of Miami School of Law was the first law school in the country to pull together law students with leading lawyers, influencers, artists, creatives and trendsetters for a negotiation competition and conference.
Thursday, February 12th & Friday, February 13th, 2026
Pricing:
Early-bird: $125 for Individual Registrants; $400 for Team Registrants.
Regular: $150 for Individual Registrants; $500 for Team Registrants.
The final day to register for the Competition is Monday, January 26th.
Negotiation Competition - Thursday, February 12
Competition 10am-5pm
University of Miami Shalala Student Center 1330 Miller Drive, Coral Gables, FL 33146
Participants will have the chance to represent influencers, brands, artists, fashion companies and other creators in the third annual Counseling Creators: Influencers, Artists and Trendsetters Negotiation Competition.
Register a team of up to 4 law students (can include business school students).
Individual registrants will be placed on a team.
In advance of the competition, you will be assigned two negotiations where you may be representing your favorite influencer, brand, artist, or fashion company negotiating the compensation, deliverables, and key deal points.
Industry judges will grade your negotiation and provide feedback.
Top teams will advance to the final negotiation to be held live during the conference.
Conference - Friday, February 13
Conference 9am-4:30pm
University of Miami Lakeside Village Auditorium 1280 Stanford Dr, Coral Gables, FL 33146
This conference appeals to all lawyers, law students, brands, influencers, artists and creators for the third annual law school conference on Counseling Creators: Influencers, Artists and Trendsetters.
Brand Deals, Advertising, and Influencer Marketing
The TikTok Ban: Legal Concerns and Strategies for Creator Diversification
The Business of Style: Fashion, Creators, and the Law
2026 Speakers & Judges include
2026 Conference Program
Friday, February 13, 2026
9:00 – 9:10 AM
Opening Remarks
Welcome and overview of the day’s themes at the intersection of creators, law, technology, and culture.
9:10 – 10:05 AM
Rendered Reality — AI Influencers, Digital Doubles, and the Creator Economy
Artificial intelligence is rapidly reshaping the creator economy, from AI influencers and digital replicas of models to generative tools transforming fashion, advertising, and content creation. This panel examines how platforms, brands, agencies, and creators are navigating these changes, the legal and ethical implications surrounding identity, consent, and compensation, and the role unionized labor and collective action may play in protecting human creators as synthetic personas gain commercial traction.
Moderator:
Danielle Garno - Partner, Daniel Ebeling Maccia & Cohen & General Counsel, FIT:MATCH.ai
From Pitch to Partnership - The Business Behind Brand-Creator Deals
The Business Behind the Brand explores how brands and creators evaluate, structure, and sustain successful partnerships. From the brand side, panelists will discuss how companies identify and select creators, the most salient deal points in creator agreements, and the legal and business strategies brands use to protect themselves. From the creator perspective, panelists will share what they look for when choosing brand partners, what they value most in collaborations, and how they assess authenticity, creative control, and long-term alignment. This panel offers a behind-the-scenes look at the decision-making, negotiations, and priorities that drive today’s creator economy.
Aditi Shah - Entrepreneur, Wellness Expert, Creator, and Instructor at Peloton
11:10 – 11:50 AM
The Power of Playfulness: Coloring Within(?) the Lines
This conversation is on how creativity, satire, and provocation can coexist with thoughtful legal strategy. This session explores counseling boundary-pushing brands and creators while navigating intellectual property, brand risk, and cultural impact.
Game-Changing Content — Creators, Sports, and Major Events
From Formula 1 and the World Cup to college sports and grassroots tournaments, content creators now play a central role in how fans experience major sporting events. This panel explores how creators partner with leagues, teams, brands, and event operators to amplify reach, engage audiences, and tell authentic stories, while navigating rights, access, sponsorships, and regulatory considerations.
Moderator:
Greg Levy - Director, Entertainment, Arts, and Sports Law Program & Associate Dean, Academic & Student Services and Strategic Initiatives, University of Miami School of Law
Panelists:
Emily Jackson - Deputy Counsel and Director of Legal - US, FIFA World Cup 2026
From Posts to Portfolios — Entrepreneurship in the Creator Economy
This panel traces the evolution of the traditional brand deal into today’s more sophisticated creator partnerships. Beginning with standard endorsement and licensing arrangements, the discussion moves into equity-based brand deals, creator-founded startups, and the launch of standalone product lines. Panelists from law firms, agencies, brand-side representation, and the creator community explore deal structures, incentives, risk allocation, and how creators are building long-term businesses beyond content.
Moderator:
Jonathan Seiden - Senior Vice President & Associate General Counsel, WME Group
Abe Lichy - Founder and Managing Partner, The Advisory
Tyler Chou - Founder and CEO, Tyler Chou Law for Creators
2:50 – 3:25 PM
Creator Insights: Music, Virality, and the Soundtrack of the Creator Economy
Music is a powerful driver of virality across platforms. This session examines how music moves through the creator ecosystem, how artists and rights holders capitalize on social media trends, and the legal frameworks that enable collaboration, licensing, and monetization.
Eddie Barrera - Manager, Business and Legal Affairs, Universal Music Group
3:35 – 4:30 PM
Competition Final Round
Two teams compete in the championship round of the Counseling Creators Negotiation Competition to crown the 3rd Annual Champion in front of a live conference audience.
A: Competing teams may consist of two (2), three (3), or four (4) members. Not all team members are required to compete live, in person, during the negotiation(s). Teams may designate which members will participate in each negotiation, and it is acceptable to have members who do not compete at all, but rather help with the preparation process.
Q: How does pricing work?
A: Teams must register by purchasing a team registration, currently priced at $500 per team. At the time of registration, only one team member’s contact information is required. Competition organizers will follow up closer to the registration deadline to collect the full names and contact information of all team members.
Individuals without team members may register for a price of $150.00, and will be placed into a team with other individual registrants to make up a team of up to four members.
Q: Is there a maximum number of teams that a school may register?
A: Yes. Each school may register up to six (6) teams. This maximum is subject to change based on competition registrations and the number of teams.
Q: When is the deadline to register?
A: The competition registration deadline is Monday, January 26, 2026, at 11:59 p.m. (ET). The conference-only registration deadline is Thursday, February 12, 2026, at 11:59 p.m. (ET).
Q: Does registering for the competition automatically include conference registration and admission?
A: Yes. Those registered for the competition shall automatically have registration and admission to the conference the next day. Purchasing conference registration is not required.
A: Each team will participate in two (2) preliminary round negotiations, which will take place during the morning and afternoon of February 12, 2026. Teams will represent an artist/creator during one negotiation, and a brand during the other negotiation.
Teams with the highest cumulative scores will advance to the quarter-finals, and then the semi-final round, both held on the morning of February 13, 2026. The two winners of the semi-final round will advance to the final round, which will take place live as the closing event of the conference on February 13, 2026.
Q: Are notes, outlines, or reference materials permitted during negotiations?
A: Yes. Teams may use notes, outlines, and reference materials during negotiations. Any materials that are explicitly referenced or shared with the opposing team during a negotiation must be provided in printed form to both the opposing team and the judges. No live communication with team members who are not negotiating, coaches, or other third parties during the negotiation is permitted.
A: The preliminary round fact patterns, including common facts for both sides and secret facts/objectives for your assigned client, will be distributed to registered teams approximately ten (10) calendar days before the competition date.
Should your team advance to the quarter-finals, the quarter-final common and secret facts will be released on the evening of Thursday, February 12th, following the competition. The common facts for the semi-finals will also be released at this time.
Q: Can my team have a coach?
A: Yes, each team may have one (1) coach. Multiple teams can have the same coach.
Q: Who can serve as a coach?
A: Coaches may be upper-level student volunteers, administrative staff, or faculty members. Coaches do not have to pay an additional competition registration fee, but will be registered as part of the competition and may not communicate with team members during their live negotiation.
