Music to her ears

Nicolette Fanelli works as a Netflix music marketing coordinator while earning her JD

Television premieres and law school don’t usually go hand-in-hand, but for Nicolette Fanelli, that’s just another day as a working professional in the Weekend JD program, Loyola’s award-winning part-time JD program that offers a mix of in-person and online coursework.

“I had an online class before the Outer Banks premiere,” Fanelli says. “I’m about as nontraditional of a law student as you can get.”

Fanelli, a music marketing coordinator at Netflix, lives in Los Angeles. She commutes to Chicago every other weekend (except when she has a fully remote course load) to attend Loyola law classes, crashing at her parents’ home in the suburbs. “It definitely takes a ton of dedication and commitment,” Fanelli says.

This cross-country adventure wasn’t the original plan. When the pandemic hit, Fanelli was working for United Talent Agency in a role that required frequent review of contracts. She thought it would be helpful to obtain a JD—plus, her parents had always thought she’d make a good lawyer. “I tend to think in an analytical way,” Fanelli says.

After Fanelli accepted a fall 2021 spot in Loyola’s full-time JD program, she received the Netflix job offer, which would require her to forgo full-time law school. Fortunately, the School of Law’s admissions office facilitated a transfer to the Weekend JD program.

“I use my law background every day. It’s enabled me to see things from different perspectives.”

“It was two major life changes at the same time,” Fanelli says. “Even with how crazy it was, there was nothing but excitement and support from everyone at Loyola. That was so encouraging.”

During her nearly two years at Netflix, Fanelli has helped launch a major live music experience for fans, coordinated music marketing campaigns for films, and booked and managed talent for the 2022 Primetime Emmy Awards. “I use my law background every day,” Fanelli says. “It’s enabled me to see things from different perspectives and impacts how I put things together, how I speak and even how I give feedback.”

Fanelli is also grounded by Loyola’s social justice mission, which can feel worlds away from the entertainment bubble. While enrolled in a public interest seminar, Fanelli volunteered as a clerk for a Los Angeles attorney with a specialty in elder law.

Looking ahead, Fanelli is confident that she’ll continue to learn in her dual roles as student and music professional. “I think what’s impressed me the most is how much Loyola makes it possible to be both,” she says. “The program really gives you the resources to thrive.” –Kelsey Schagemann (May 2023)