According to a reliable source, Taylor Swift is appointing a prominent litigator as the general counsel of her closely guarded Nashville-based company, 13 Management. Douglas Baldridge, a partner at the law firm Venable in Washington, D.C., will assume the position in the fall, taking over from retiring Jay Schaudies. Swift’s business operations have always been shrouded in secrecy compared to other artists of her calibre, in part due to her preference for a close-knit circle and tight control over her business. Baldridge, a seasoned commercial litigator, already serves as outside counsel for Swift and notably represented her in a highly publicized sexual harassment trial that she won in 2017. The rest of the 13 Management team will remain unchanged. Venable will continue to provide legal services to Swift, alongside music-industry attorney Donald Passman. Swift, a top-selling artist with a highly successful concert tour, maintains her position as one of music’s biggest stars. Baldridge has an extensive legal background, representing notable clients in various industries, including entertainment and real estate. His cases have involved intellectual property and celebrity rights. Schaudies, the outgoing general counsel, has maintained a lower profile, and his involvement reportedly extended to matters related to the ownership of Swift’s past master recordings.
