ATLANTA—Georgia State Law students will have the opportunity this fall to take a course on the career of Kandi Burruss, a singer, songwriter, actress, entrepreneur and star of “The Real Housewives of Atlanta.”
The course will be taught by professor Mo Ivory as a part of the Entertainment, Sports and Media Law Initiative, which began in 2018 to prepare students for practice in Georgia’s growing entertainment industry. One of the initiative’s unique offerings is the “Legal Life of…” series, which started with the Legal Life of Ludacris last fall. It continues with the Legal Life of Kandi Burruss this year.
“I chose Kandi because she has an amazing career, which spans every aspect of the entertainment industry from music, television and live performance to licensing, apparel and more,” Ivory said. “I wanted to study a woman this time around, and having worked with Kandi in the past, I knew she was the perfect choice. She handles her business and it shows with her success, but all the while she’s completely approachable and willing to share her lessons learned. I couldn’t be happier for my students to learn the law through Kandi’s career.”
An Atlanta native and Grammy Award-winning songwriter, Burruss began her music career as a member of the R&B group Xscape. She later pursued a solo career and built a reputation as a formidable songwriter. Burruss has penned hits for myriad artists, including Alicia Keys, P!nk, Destiny’s Child and TLC.
In 2009, she joined the cast of Bravo’s “The Real Housewives of Atlanta,” and throughout the series viewers have watched her start a baby line, a clothing boutique, a cosmetics line and open three locations of her southern-style restaurant, Old Lady Gang. Most recently, she won “The Masked Singer” on Fox, and guest starred on Showtime’s “The Chi.” Burruss lives in Atlanta with her husband and four children.
"I am honored to be part of this year’s curriculum at Georgia State University College of Law,” Burruss said. “Attorneys are among the most important members of your team. It’s imperative you have the right lawyers around you to assist in making the best decisions. Every contract you sign is building towards your overall dreams and goals. I’m excited to see the students get a first-hand look into some of the contracts that have shaped my career thus far."
In class, Ivory will guide law students through the deals and contracts that have built Burruss’ brand. Throughout the semester, students will role play contract negotiations and hear from key players in Burruss’ career, including her mother, attorneys, her manager and more. Ivory hopes by dissecting the legal aspects of Burruss’ expansive career, students will be able to develop skills in deal-making techniques, copyrights, trademarks, licensing, and endorsements, as well as recording, television and film contracts.
“This class, and the entire Entertainment, Sports and Media Law Certificate program, gives students a real-world look into client representation, writing and interpreting contracts, negotiating deals, and the personal touch it takes to be successful in this practice area,” Ivory said. “These skills aren’t always taught in a traditional law school setting, and I’m looking forward to an exciting semester.”