Columbia College Chicago's Loren Wells Helps Secure Landmark Copyright Victory

two people on stage, one playing guitar and the other singingSongwriters, like those found at Columbia College Chicago, will benefit from the watershed court decision made possible by Associate Professor Loren Wells and his law firm.
A law firm co-founded by Associate Professor Loren Wells prevailed in a precedent-setting court decision that affirms music creators’ rights to reclaim their copyrights worldwide.

In the decision issued on January 12, 2026, the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals upheld the lower court’s judgment that a songwriter can reclaim worldwide rights after 35 years. Media companies have long argued that such rights should have effect in the U.S. only.

Wells & Kappel LLP, the law firm founded by Wells and Kappel, represented songwriter Cyril Vetter in the case; he co-wrote the1962 song “Double Shot (of My Baby’s Love).”

“This decision realigns the law with the fundamental principle that creators should have the opportunity to regain the full measure of their rights,” says Wells. “It’s about giving artists true ownership of their work on the world stage.”

Bringing His Legal Expertise to Students

Wells balances his legal practice with his role at Columbia where he teaches courses including Music Industry Deals and Music Publishing. Drawing directly from his legal experience, Wells immerses students in real-world issues facing the music business today, bringing current precedent and industry standards into the classroom and practicum projects.

head shot of Loren Wells

Wells’s legal practice focuses primarily on transactional matters, representing artists, songwriters, and other creators in deals with record labels, music publishers, media companies, investors, creative participants, and more. The firm’s impactful work on the Vetter case furthers their efforts on behalf of the creative community.

Since joining Columbia in 2016, Wells has also led the Music Licensing Agency Practicum, a program that sends students to SXSW in Austin, Texas, to work as A&R representatives for a prominent music licensing company, Musicbed. His dual role as practitioner and educator enables students to see legal strategy and industry transformation in action, preparing the next generation of music business leaders.

Recognition on a National Stage

Wells and Kappel’s contributions to the field have earned them national recognition: in 2025, they were named to “Variety’s” list of Music Legal Elite, a prestigious industry ranking of attorneys behind the music industry’s most impactful legal work. They are regularly quoted in music industry trades and their work has been covered in leading publications like Billboard, Variety, Music Business Worldwide, Forbes, and more.

The appellate ruling has broad implications for songwriters, composers, and rights holders, potentially enabling creators to reclaim and leverage their work more comprehensively across streaming and international markets.

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