Four Kirkland Partners Named to Billboard’s “Top Music Lawyers” List

Billboard recognized Kirkland partners Shellie Freedman, Kelly Mellecker, Keri Schick Norton and Seth Traxler on its 2026 “Top Music Lawyers” list of the “savviest legal minds” essential to the music business.

The group was recognized for a variety of high-profile transactions, including Virgin Music Group’s pending acquisition of Downtown Music Holdings, Recognition Music Group’s $1.47 billion asset-backed securities transaction, Hellman & Friedman’s investment in Global Music Rights and Kobalt’s sale to Primary Wave Music.