The Mechanical Licensing Collective, which manages digital streaming services licenses, has recruited a Waller Lansden Dortch & Davis partner to be its chief legal officer as well as two executives from the Warner Music group.

Kristen Johns has joined the MLC, which started processing royalty payments early this year, to oversee its legal affairs, including its blanket licensing process and compliance work. She had been with Waller for six and a half years and led its blockchain practice as a member of its intellectual property group. Her purview at the firm included work on data security, privacy law and emerging technologies.