John G. Branca is an entertainment lawyer and a partner and head of the Music Department in the law firm of Ziffren Brittenham, LLP. Mr. Branca is currently the chairman of The Michael Jackson Company, and serves as Co-Executor of the Michael Jackson Estate.
He has represented over 30 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame acts, including The Rolling Stones, Michael Jackson, The Jackson 5, Carlos Santana, Aerosmith,The Beach Boys, ZZ Top, Fleetwood Mac, Bee Gees, Earth, Wind & Fire, John Fogerty and The Doors. Other clients have included Alicia Keys, Berry Gordy, Dick Clark, Dr. Dre, Justin Timberlake and the Backstreet Boys. Clients outside of the music world included Forbes magazine, Playboy magazine, Richard Pryor, Eddie Murphy, and the Vatican.
Mr. Branca has been involved in the sale of some of the music industry’s most prestigious publishingcatalogs, including Berry Gordy’s Jobete Music, Leiber & Stoller, and the Rodgers & Hammerstein Organization. He was also involved in the formation and sale of Interscope Records and the sale ofRhino Records. He also has served as counsel to numerous music industry investors, including Vivendiand Matsushita.
John Branca, Sr., (John’s father), was a promising high-school baseball player who later became the NewYork State Athletic Commissioner and a New York Assemblyman. John’s uncle, legendary major leaguebaseball pitcher Ralph Branca featured in feature film “42”, pitched for the Brooklyn Dodgers and wasa teammate and lifelong friend of Jackie Robinson.
Mr. Branca majored in music at Los Angeles City College before transferring to Occidental College. Upongraduating, he enrolled at UCLA School of Law, serving as editor-in-chief of one of the law reviews, andreceived his degree in 1975.
He is a generous philanthropist and active in various community organizations, including: as a memberof the board of trustees of the Grammy Museum and Occidental College; as Chair Emeritus and formerChairman of the MusicCares Capital Campaign; as an Advisory Board member of the UCLA Law SchoolZiffren Center; as a founding member of the Musicians Assistance Program; and Renovation CampaignCommittee member of the UCLA Pauley Pavilion. Mr. Branca is an ongoing guest lecturer at the HarvardBusiness School, Stanford University, UCLA Law School, USC Law School, Occidental College, and LosAngeles City College, among others.
