A Law Firm Built for the Business of Creativity.
Kai Smith Law was founded on a simple premise: creators, artists, and entertainment professionals deserve the same caliber of legal counsel as major studios and corporations — without the institutional distance.
Bar Admissions
California
Prior Experience
Business & Legal Affairs, Walt Disney Studios
Focus
Entertainment Law · IP · Creative Business
Counsel Who Understands Your World.
"Like the vast ocean, we recognize that each client's legal and business concerns are interconnected."
At Kai Smith Law, we are more than legal advisors. We are strategic partners to creators, production companies, and media businesses navigating the intersection of storytelling, intellectual property, and commercial growth.
My name, Kai, means "sea" in Hawaiian—a meaning that reflects the firm's approach. Like the vast ocean, we recognize that each client's legal and business concerns are interconnected. We take a broad, thoughtful view of the challenges and opportunities ahead, providing ongoing support designed to protect your work and strengthen your company's future.
My practice is informed by experience across studio legal departments, film and television productions, music business and legal affairs, and creator-focused legal work. I have advised on matters involving content development and production, rights and clearances, intellectual property, talent and commercial agreements, employment issues, and the practical legal demands of taking a creative project from concept to release.
Before founding the firm, I worked at The Walt Disney Company in legal roles supporting several leading studios, including Marvel Studios, Walt Disney Pictures, Disneynature, and 20th Century Studios. I also gained on-the-ground production legal experience supporting major film projects. This background provides a practical understanding of how creative, business, and legal teams collaborate throughout development, production, distribution, and release.
Today, I advise clients working in a rapidly changing media landscape: filmmakers and producers building original projects, creators developing sustainable businesses, and companies using emerging technology to create, distribute, and monetize content. My approach is pragmatic, collaborative, and commercially focused—helping clients manage risk while preserving momentum behind their business and creative vision.
Whether you are negotiating a deal, developing a production, protecting your intellectual property, or building a creator-led company, Kai Smith Law provides clear, thoughtful counsel to help you move forward with confidence.
Legal Counsel That Serves Your Creative Vision.
We believe the best legal counsel doesn't just protect you from risk — it actively enables your creative and business ambitions. Our mission is to be the strategic partner that helps creators and entertainment professionals build sustainable, protected, and thriving careers and businesses.
Clarity Over Complexity
We translate complex legal language into clear, actionable guidance. You should always understand exactly what you're signing and why.
Strategy Over Compliance
Legal counsel should be proactive, not reactive. We help you structure deals, protect assets, and build businesses — not just review documents after the fact.
Partnership Over Transactions
We invest in long-term relationships with our clients. Your success is our success, and we're here for the full arc of your creative career.
Sophisticated Counsel. Human Scale.
We operate as a boutique firm by design. That means every client works directly with Kai — not a junior associate — and receives counsel that is tailored, responsive, and grounded in real industry experience. We keep our client roster intentionally focused so we can give every matter the attention it deserves.
Direct Access
You work directly with Kai Smith on every matter — no hand-offs, no junior associates managing your file.
Industry Fluency
We speak the language of the creative industries. No learning curve, no explaining how the business works.
Responsive Counsel
Creative deals move fast. We match your pace and are available when it matters.
Transparent Fees
Clear fee structures with no surprises. We discuss scope and cost upfront so you can make informed decisions.
Ready to Work Together?
Whether you're negotiating your first major deal or building a creative enterprise, we'd love to hear about your project.
Book a Consultation