Christina Suarez ’11

Growing up on the Jersey Shore, Christina Suarez lived in a home filled with music. On any given day, work and play choregraphed to the sounds of salsa, jazz, pop, and doowop. There were in-house jam sessions courtesy of her father’s close friends, Latin musicians who played with Celia Cruz, Tito Puente, and others. And no holiday was complete without tunes from Nat King Cole, Judy Garland, and The Sound of Music.

“Music, whether played on my childhood record player, performed live at home, or projected from a Broadway stage, was magical to me as a child,” says Suarez, adding, “It still is.” Today, she channels that magic as Senior Vice President of Business and Legal Affairs at Universal Music Group (UMG). The SVP post is the latest success along a career path that started with summer work in her uncle’s law office and continued when she entered St. John’s Law intent on breaking into the music industry.

Courses in entertainment law, sports law, contracts, and intellectual property taught Suarez cornerstone concepts. Even as a participant in the Law School’s mock trial program, she honed the “quick-thinking skillset” that lawyers rely on to make and close deals. But of all the offerings at St. John’s Law, Suarez considers her externships the most formative. “Gaining that hands-on experience was invaluable,” she says. “As an extern, you’re able to create real relationships in the industry that can help you later in your career. You apply rules to real world issues, practice drafting, and really learn how to transition into the workforce after school.”

Suarez’s first externship was with Sony Music, and that’s where she launched her full-time career in music after earning her St. John’s law degree. After two years at Sony, she became a lead attorney at Roc Nation, the entertainment company founded by musician and entrepreneur JAY-Z, and elevated there to Chief of Staff and the head of business and legal affairs. Five years later, in 2018, she accepted her current position at UMG.

It’s challenging work, but Suarez is thriving. “As an in-house business and legal affairs department, I love that we work with all areas of the company: creative executives, artwork, finance, etc.,” she says. “You become such a well-rounded lawyer and person since you’re tasked with advocating for all and making deals come together with all considerations. You also get to interact with countless attorneys from outside firms, artist managers and agents, and other media companies. They’re some of the most well respected and brilliant people in the music industry.”

As she continues to chart her professional path, Suarez is grateful for all the people in the field who give her support and guidance, especially in these extraordinary times. “It’s not easy being a professional woman, yet alone a woman of color, and becoming a new mom during this pandemic has had its ups and downs,” she shares. “But I’ve been blessed to have supportive and forward-thinking mentors and managers. I’m still great friends with former colleagues from Sony Music and Roc Nation. We all lean on each other for help, advice, and connections. The music industry is about inclusivity and shattering the glass ceiling. I’m so proud to be a part of it.”