Lawyer Brett Oaten has created the ultimate day job for himself. The "big music fan" and former band manager started his own music and entertainment law firm - Brett Oaten Solicitors - in 1992 after working in a large city firm and realising he wanted to do more of what he loved.

On top of representing a range of internationally successful Australian artists, including Eskimo Joe, Evermore, Jet, John Butler and The Temper Trap, Oaten's team of five also provides advice to a range of film and television producers, plus television and radio personalities including former Nova radio duo Merrick and Rosso.

"Music has always been my primary interest...My plan was to do something that I enjoyed doing, so it felt a little less like a job," Oaten says.

"It began predominantly as music and that took off really well and then we moved into film and TV as well."

Acting primarily for artists, in his work Oaten witnesses a great spectrum of business knowledge, with some clients very engaged in their business while others are not so interested.

"Often your clients wish they didn't have to have a lawyer or they may not be particularly interested in those [legal] aspects of their career.

"But what I think that does is it means that you have to provide your advice and do your work in a way that your clients find useful and can understand, [and] I think that's a really great discipline," he says.

Although his job has its challenges like any other, it's no surprise Oaten enjoys what he does.

"I like working with creative people. I find the subject matter of the work really interesting. It's a very dynamic industry.

"I think ultimately, doing contracts and legal work in an area I find personally interesting is what's most satisfying," he says.

And Oaten likes the way his firm is - small. "I don't really want to run a firm that's any bigger. We wanted to specialise and we only want to do what we think we do really well. We don't want to try and do other stuff," Oaten explains.

A lawyer by day, Oaten is also heavily involved with Sydney radio station FBI, by providing pro bono work and as co-host of the station's weekly rugby league show - "Fire up".

As a founding board member of FBI, Oaten's passion for music and culture is clear as he describes how he strongly believes in and supports the station's "contribution to Sydney cultural life".

Also with a passion for music are Oaten's supporting solicitors David Orwell and Robyn Bradshaw who come from similar backgrounds. A musician and songwriter, having played in bands including Oliver, Knievel and Golden Rough, Orwell began at Allens Arthur Robinson before becoming creative manager at Sony/ATV Music Publishing and then moving on to Brett Oaten Solicitors.

Also with an extensive background in music and entertainment, Bradshaw's experience dates back to 1995, working in the business affairs department of BMG Records in London (now Sony BMG).

- Briana Everett