Born and raised in Atlanta, Georgia, Aurielle Brooks has developed a deep passion to impact society. In 2014, Aurielle graduated from Valdosta State University, obtaining her Degree in Political Science with a minor in Professional and Applied Ethics.
During her undergraduate career, she became immersed in the campus and community life, exhibiting her desire to serve others on a wider scale.
Aurielle’s professional career began with the local Democratic Party giving speeches to the city and orchestrating political meetings. From there she worked directly under the In-House Counsel of her University as a Legal Assistant giving her the opportunity to gain a working knowledge of contractual and policy issues.
Photo Credits: Scrill Davis
Aurielle obtained a scholarship to Atlanta’s John Marshall Law School where she served on the Exec Board of various organizations while working under an esteemed Fulton County Judge and corporate and entertainment law firms.
During her law school career, Aurielle co-founded The Chosen Circle, LLC, a management consulting firm that caters to entertainment clientele. Aurielle’s wide array of work experience allowed her to further her knowledge of entertainment by assisting in projects with Def Jam Records, Street Execs, and Eardrummer Records.
Aurielle currently practices Entertainment, Business and Intellectual Property Law as an attorney with Arrington & Phillips, LLP in Atlanta. Being barred in the State of New York as well, Aurielle serves a wide range of clients such as DC Young Fly, Lil Baby, Kevin Gates, NBA Youngboy, producers Buddah Bless, Maaly Raw and The Good Perry, film production companies, and many more.
RESPECT.: What helped you to choose the entertainment industry? Do you have any advice for students that are looking to pursue the same route?
Aurielle: I have always had a passion for the arts. As a child my mom ensured I was involved in a wide array of activities which included dance and playing musical instruments. I learned to play the violin and cello and taught myself how to play the guitar and piano. Since then music itself has played a vital role in my life. My love of music coupled with my interest in the law opened a new world for me which showed how I could protect those who use their talents to touch the lives of many. While they use their gifts to impact our lives, any infringement on their rights could have catastrophic impacts on theirs. Whether their craft is exhibited through music, photography, dance, film, fashion or even through starting a business, I wanted to acquire the skills to zealously advocate for these talented people of the world who impact our lives on a daily basis. Coming from a music background, I understand the energy and depth that goes into artistic creation. Being in a position to protect the unique gifts of my clients and to be at the front lines seeing how they affect others has truly been a dream come true.
A part of why I chose this career path also is to set a positive example for those to come after me, especially my younger siblings. As for anyone looking to work in the entertainment industry, I am more than happy to offer any advice I can. Whatever free time I can find, I mentor upcoming law students and college students, especially young women. As you may know it can be a bit challenging to get into entertainment industry, especially on the legal side. There are so many different aspects of the law but entertainment is a very small niche. What I try to do is offer the advice of what I did and things I wish I would’ve done. In order for me to get into entertainment industry, I used whatever connections I had at the time to put me behind the scenes to learn and build even more relationships.
My very first entertainment anything was with Street Execs, the company that manages 2 Chainz and many other artists. Charlie (who ran Street Execs at the time) and I went to high school together. I let him know that I was interested in entertainment and was very persistent about gaining insight into the industry. Finally, he gave me a shot. Although he wasn’t a lawyer, he introduced me to the lawyer for Street Execs and allowed me to assist him with everything behind the scenes and help out with events whenever possible. After going away for college and moving back here to Atlanta, that really was my start in the entertainment industry. From there I actually met someone from Def Jam and through continued efforts over time, that relationship grew into a fruitful working relationship. Leading up to that, I was very persistent in letting him know I’d like to help out however I can. Whatever you have going on and whatever Def Jam anything that comes to Atlanta, I want to be a part of it. I want to help any side projects, anything and that’s one thing that I share with students who I mentor is to be very purposeful with your efforts; anyone that you may want to work with or learn from, stay on them and be persistent about the fact that you want to get into this industry. Seeing that it was not only interest my genuine passion that was driving my persistence was what helped me to get my foot in the door to new experiences.
RESPECT.: Were you doing this while in law school? What point did you start building your clientele was it something you did as an undergraduate or while you were in law school?
Aurielle: I started all of this while in law school. While in law school I also started my own company, The Chosen Circle, LLC. Outside of building my company, I worked a job and an internship each year of law school to strictly build upon my legal experience. I am forever thankful for the ability to balance all of the events, work, and building all while obtaining my law degree. When I was in college, I worked with the attorney for my university where I spent much of my time working on contracts and revising school policies. While entertainment does involve a vast amount of contract drafting and negotiations, I didn’t have the pleasure of gaining entertainment experience at all in college.
RESPECT.: What inspires you with music and culture? What motivates you to put yourself in the middle of the industry?
Aurielle: To me, music and culture are both responsive to each other. Both play on the other and are channels of expression. Interchangeably, what inspires me is seeing how music and culture impact people. Instead of watching my clients throughout an entire show, I like to take the time to just look out at their fans. The love from fans is unmatched. Simply indescribable. That look in their eyes as they see their favorite artists singing their favorite songs. That sheer enjoyment is powerful and touches my heart every single time. Seeing how deeply music or any realm of entertainment can impact people is a clear indicator that I need to do anything I can to protect it. So if doing anything it takes means putting myself right in the middle or even at the front lines, then that’s what I have to do.
RESPECT.: You have worked with some clients who are rising right now in the entertainment industry such as D.C. Young Fly, Lil Baby, Photographer Cam Kirk, and producers such as Maaly Raw. What are some of the few things that you look for as far as the value of the relationship and looking out for them with the development of their career?
Aurielle: Knowing their goals and knowing the type of person they are. Knowing the type of people that they attract organically and incidentally. The type of person that they are and their brand speaks volumes to who they’ll partner with, what type of events they will be a part of, or anything that they’ll be willing to do. As their representation, it is vital to be aware of what aligns with their brand and personality. Knowing immediately that they wouldn’t be interested in a potential opportunity that comes across our table, saves a lot of time and it allows the relationship to flow better.
RESPECT.: When artist’s begin to start looking at how to start their career in the entertainment industry, do you feel the relationship should be established at the beginning or created down the road?
Aurielle: It would be best to start the relationship in the beginning , even if it’s on a touch and go basis. Establishing representation in the beginning can profoundly assist in the growth and development of an artist. The right representation can act as a guide throughout an artist’s career as well as assist in pairing them with the right team. I believe that if more artists or talent started off with an attorney, that they would be able to build a relationship with, it could potentially help some artists to excel in their career at a faster rate. A main issue that could be avoided is the issue of getting into bad deals or having to fix something that could’ve potentially been avoided in the beginning had they established representation earlier on.
RESPECT.: We see that you have a firm as well that specialize in management and marketing, called “The Chosen Circle”, could you tell us what it is?
Aurielle: The Chosen Circle is a management consulting firm. We primarily cater to entertainment clientele, assisting them with building marketing campaigns, marketing materials, branding, event planning, image consulting and much more. I started, The Chosen Circle while in law school, with a then classmate of mine John Rose. The Chosen Circle served as a bridge into our entertainment careers and afforded us invaluable experience in the industry from so many different fronts, including building potential future clientele. A friend of mine, celebrity photographer Cam Kirk, was the first to give us the huge opportunity to aid him as management as he progressed in his career. From there we were able to work with large companies and brands such as Vice, GoPro, Redbull, Marbek, Sundance and many others.
RESPECT.: What are some of the lessons that you learned in last year that you want to take into 2019?
Aurielle: Some lessons I have learned in the last year are that you must look at your clients like family and not be afraid to go the extra mile to get them to new heights. Building relationships and seeking out opportunities, even overseas, can not only positively affect your client’s pockets but also their outreach. Understanding which projects that may be new or different for a client, can be the difference between exponential growth and poor business decisions. The main lesson that I would like to take into 2019 is that you can always work harder and do more. Whether it’s for your clients directly, helping your clients give back to the community, or doing more for your own community, I plan to do more and be more in 2019.
RESPECT.: What does RESPECT. mean to you?
Aurielle: Respect means that you feel inspired by someone or have a high opinion of them when you respect someone you treat them with high regard. As a black woman, respect is engrained in me and must always be shown. I demand respect for my clients. Respect can be the difference between closing or losing a deal. Respect means absolutely everything.
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