About Ward White IV, Esq.

Ward White IV has been practicing law for over 20 years and is currently in private practice focusing on entertainment law. His clients have included actors, producers, and artists, including 4 time Grammy Award winner Erykah Badu, comic, nationally syndicated radio host, and television star Rickey Smiley, hip hop legend Biz Markie, and former NFL wide receiver Rocket Ismail. He is an executive producer and co-creator of The Rickey Smiley Show, which debuted in September 2012 to record-breaking ratings for the TV One television network. Mr. White is the CEO of ESQmedia, Inc., a management and consulting firm, and has served on the Board Of Directors for the Juneteenth Film Festival Foundation, which produced the Juneteenth Film Festival. He also is an advisory board member for the University of Dallas Sports and Entertainment Department. As an adjunct professor at the University of Dallas he devised and taught a course entitled, "Principles Of The Music Business." Mr. White is the author of a life asset protection manual for athletes and celebrities entitled The Players Handbook and is presently the Executive Vice President of Business Affairs at Guerrilla Funk Recordings and Filmworks, LLC. He is licensed to practice in the State of Texas, and is duly admitted and qualified as an Attorney and Counselor of the Supreme Court of the United States of America, and the United States District Court, Northern District of Texas. In addition, Mr. White is certified and qualified as a mediator in the State of Texas.

Ward White IV received his B.A. from the University of Texas at Austin in 1987 where he was in the Plan II Honors program, majoring in liberal arts with a concentration in African American studies. While at the University of Texas, Mr. White co-founded Hot Wax Promotions, a pioneering record promotion company which promoted and introduced many seminal hip hop and r&b artists, including Public Enemy, Ice T, and Sir Mix-A-Lot to the southwest region.

In 1991, Ward White IV received his J.D. from Howard Law School. While attending Howard, Mr. White founded the Entertainment Law Students Association and was a member of the Howard Law Journal. After graduation from Howard Law School, Mr. White went to work in the heart of the music business, as National Manager of Rap Promotions for Warner Bros Records in Los Angeles. In 1992, he was promoted to Co-National Director of Rap Promotions. During his time there he had the opportunity to work with many notable artists including Prince.

From 1992-95, Mr. White held the position of Vice President of Business Affairs for Paris' Scarface Records, distributed by Priority/EMI. It was during this period that his law practice brought him face to face at the negotiation table with the one and only Madonna as he negotiated the deal for the first rap group signed to Madonna's Maverick Records.

From 1996-98, Ward White IV served as Assistant City Attorney for the City of Ft. Worth where he had a successful tenure as a prosecutor and gained a reputation for successfully representing the citizens of the city in numerous jury trials. He currently resides in Ft. Worth, Texas.