Warner Music Group Executive Paul Robinson To Receive The 2026 Entertainment Law Initiative Service Award During GRAMMY Week 2026; ELI Writing Contest Honorees Announced

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The Recording Academy will present the 2026 Entertainment Law Initiative Service Award to Paul Robinson, Warner Music Group's (WMG) Executive Vice President & General Counsel, as part of the Academy’s Entertainment Law Initiative (ELI). This initiative prompts meaningful dialogue around the legal issues affecting the music industry, with the ultimate goal of furthering the Academy's mission of advocating for creators. The Recording Academy has also announced the winners and runners-up for the 2026 ELI Writing Contest, an annual contest that awards scholarships to three Juris Doctor and Master of Laws students and serves as the embodiment of ELI’s mission to support the next generation of entertainment law professionals.

Robinson and the 2026 ELI Writing Contest honorees will be honored at the 2026 Entertainment Law Initiative Grammy Week Event, taking place Friday, Jan. 30, in Los Angeles during Grammy Week 2026, days ahead of the 2026 Grammys. Each year during Grammy Week, ELI hosts a luncheon that unites the industry's leading attorneys to celebrate their contributions and presents the Service Award to a legal professional who has dedicated their practice toward bettering the music community.

Individual tickets, along with a limited number of discounted student tickets, for the 2026 Entertainment Law Initiative Grammy Week Event will be available for purchase on Tuesday, Dec. 9, at 10 a.m. PT/1 p.m. ET.

Learn more information about and purchase tickets for the 2026 Entertainment Law Initiative Grammy Week Event.

Grammy Week is the Recording Academy's weeklong celebration comprising official Grammy Week events celebrating the music community and current Grammy nominees in the lead-up to the annual Grammy Awards. Grammy Week 2026 culminates with the 2026 Grammys, which take place live Sunday, Feb. 1, at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles. The 2026 Grammys will broadcast live on the CBS Television Network and stream on Paramount+ at 5-8:30 p.m. PT/8-11:30 p.m. ET. Hours ahead of the live telecast, the 2026 Grammy Awards Premiere Ceremony will be held at the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles on Sunday, Feb. 1, at 12:30 p.m. PT/3:30 p.m. ET and will be streamed live on live.grammy.com and the Recording Academy’s YouTube channel.

Learn More About Paul Robinson:

In this role, Robinson is responsible for WMG's worldwide legal, business affairs, public policy, compliance, and corporate governance functions. Robinson was initially selected for the 2025 event, prior to the Recording Academy's decision to condense GRAMMY Week programming to prioritize the wildfire response in Los Angeles.

Learn More About The ELI Writing Contest:

Co-sponsored by the American Bar Association, the ELI Writing Contest challenges law students to identify and research a current legal issue in the music industry and outline a proposed solution in an essay. The winning paper is published in the ABA's journal, Entertainment & Sports Lawyer. A $10,000 scholarship is awarded to the winner; $2,500 scholarships are awarded to two runners-up. All three recipients also receive a mentor session with a leading entertainment attorney. The winner will also receive tickets to attend the 2026 GRAMMYS, MusiCares Person of the Year and the ELI Event. See the winner and runners-up of the 2026 ELI Writing Contest below.

Learn More About The 2026 ELI Writing Contest Honorees:

ELI has also selected Justin Fisher of St. Thomas University College of Law as the winner of the 2026 ELI Writing Contest. Anika Kazi and Derek Song, the two runners-up, will also be recognized during the 2026 Entertainment Law Initiative GRAMMY Week event. More information on the recipients can be found below.