Law.com Subscribers SAVE 30%

Call 855-808-4530 or email [email protected] to receive your discount on a new subscription.

Entertainment Law & FinanceLJN NewslettersNewsSections

$7.3 Million Award For Discovering Lady Gaga

By Charles Toutant
November 30, 2014

A federal jury in Newark ordered Robert Fusari, a record producer credited with launching the career of Lady Gaga, to pay $7.3 million to a songwriter who claimed she brought the two together. Starland v. Fusari, 2010cv04930 (D.N.J.)

Wendy Starland claimed in her suit that Fusari broke a promise to give her a cut of revenues from the career of Lady Gaga, whose given name is Stefani Germanotta. Following a seven-day trial before U.S. District Judge Jose Linares, the jury granted Starland's request for 50 percent of the roughly $12 million that Fusari earned from Gaga's career. Starland was also awarded a one-time payment of $900,000, which represents half of the record and merchandising royalties Fusari is entitled to receive over the next nine years, as well as 50% of any funds Fusari receives as his cut of future record deals related to Gaga.

This premium content is locked for Entertainment Law & Finance subscribers only

  • Stay current on the latest information, rulings, regulations, and trends
  • Includes practical, must-have information on copyrights, royalties, AI, and more
  • Tap into expert guidance from top entertainment lawyers and experts

For enterprise-wide or corporate acess, please contact Customer Service at [email protected] or 877-256-2473

Read These Next
The DOJ's Corporate Enforcement Policy: One Year Later Image

The DOJ's Criminal Division issued three declinations since the issuance of the revised CEP a year ago. Review of these cases gives insight into DOJ's implementation of the new policy in practice.

The DOJ's New Parameters for Evaluating Corporate Compliance Programs Image

The parameters set forth in the DOJ's memorandum have implications not only for the government's evaluation of compliance programs in the context of criminal charging decisions, but also for how defense counsel structure their conference-room advocacy seeking declinations or lesser sanctions in both criminal and civil investigations.

Use of Deferred Prosecution Agreements In White Collar Investigations Image

This article discusses the practical and policy reasons for the use of DPAs and NPAs in white-collar criminal investigations, and considers the NDAA's new reporting provision and its relationship with other efforts to enhance transparency in DOJ decision-making.

Bankruptcy Sales: Finding a Diamond In the Rough Image

There is no efficient market for the sale of bankruptcy assets. Inefficient markets yield a transactional drag, potentially dampening the ability of debtors and trustees to maximize value for creditors. This article identifies ways in which investors may more easily discover bankruptcy asset sales.

Compliance Officers: Recent Regulatory Guidance and Enforcement Actions and Mitigating the Risk of Personal Liability Image

This article explores legal developments over the past year that may impact compliance officer personal liability.