Key insights from a panel discussion during this year’s South by Southwest conference in Austin, where speakers weighed the impact of a landmark music industry verdict and what comes next for a sector awash with artificial intelligence.
- March 31, 2026Laura Lorek
A look at moves among attorneys, law firms, companies and other players in entertainment law.
March 31, 2026Entertainment Law & Finance StaffNew York is one of the first states to adopt laws to regulate artificial intelligence use in advertising and to strengthen post-mortem publicity rights regarding AI-generated replicas and “synthetic performers.” Given the state’s role as a bellwether for consumer-protection and advertising regulation, these new laws, combined with the state’s broader AI legislative framework, represent a shift toward transparency, consent and accountability.
March 01, 2026Marc LiebersteinMatthew McConaughey secured eight federal trademark registrations covering his voice and iconic catchphrases in a novel legal strategy aimed at combating AI’s unauthorized use of his voice and likeness. The move signals an important evolution in the power dynamics between talent/brands and the companies providing generative AI tools.
March 01, 2026Robert Botkin and Traci Bransford and Shayla Wright and Eva Frongello and Caroline McCrackenAgreements among band members typically provide for who owns rights in a music group’s name when a founding member leaves and/or a new member joins. But what if there’s no intra-band agreement covering these scenarios? The two recent court decisions in this article offer potential outcomes.
March 01, 2026Stan SoocherIn the rapidly evolving landscape of college athletics, the emergence of NIL (name, image and likeness) deals has introduced a host of new complexities. This January, a pair of very public transfer disputes (both, coincidentally, involving highly rated quarterbacks) brought the growing tension between athlete autonomy and institutional interests to the fore.
March 01, 2026Andrew Hope and Kellen CarletonNotable recent court filings in entertainment law.
March 01, 2026Entertainment Law & Finance StaffA look at moves among attorneys, law firms, companies and other players in entertainment law.
March 01, 2026Entertainment Law & Finance StaffTwo federal courts recently issued rulings on notable issues impacting whether and how artists can terminate prior assignments of copyrights in their works.
February 01, 2026Stan SoocherThe U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit recently acknowledged criticisms of the “total concept and feel” test for substantial similarity in copyright infringement. This judicial recognition of mounting criticism of the influential test appears to invite a challenge to overrule it in favor of a new test.
February 01, 2026Catherine Nyarady and Crystal Parker










