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Players on the Move
A look at moves among attorneys, law firms, companies and other players in entertainment law.
Columns & Departments
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Black Widow, Box Office and Breach of Contract: Profit Participation In COVID
Features

How NY Courts Find Copyright Preemption of State Law Claims
Under §301 of the U.S. Copyright Act, state law claims that are "equivalent" to exclusive rights in copyrights granted by federal law are preempted by the federal statute. To survive preemption, courts consider whether a state law claim in a lawsuit has an "extra element" that qualitatively distinguishes it from a federal copyright claim.
Features

Activision Trial Counsel Discusses Case About Video Game Character
Activision Blizzard and a trial team led by San Francisco-based Durie Tangri partner Daralyn Durie recently faced down a $400 million copyright suit in the Eastern District of Texas. In this Q&A, Durie talks about the strategy and the theatrics of the four-day trial.
Features

Key Issues In Cyber Insurance Policies
The surge in ransomware attacks has made familiarity with the provisions of cyber insurance essential for professionals in the entertainment industry, which is among prime targets of ransomware operatives.
Features

Baron Cohen Lawyers on Winning Ruling In Judge Moore's Defamation Suit
In a defamation suit brought by former Alabama Chief Justice Roy Moore, a Federal District Judge recently ruled that a release Judge Moore signed prior to his appearance on the satirical Showtime series Who is America? barred precisely the sorts of claims he was bringing. In this Q&A, Baron Cohen's attorneys discuss the case.
Features

Ninth Circuit's Mixed Ruling In TMZ/Starline Arbitration Dispute
A California federal appeals court panel refused to broaden disclosure requirements for alternative dispute resolution organizations and called for court precedent to be revisited in a case over a soured partnership between entertainment news company TMZ and a Los Angeles celebrity tour bus company.
Features

Disney GC to Exit
After nearly three decades with The Walt Disney Co., longtime general counsel Alan Braverman is stepping down from his post at the Burbank, CA-based entertainment and media giant at the end of the year.
Columns & Departments
Bit Parts
Intermediate Access Theory Rejected in Copyright Infringement Lawsuit Over Home-Renovation TV Show
Features

Cease-and-Desist Letters Played Key Roles In Judges' Entertainment Industry Rulings
This article examines two recent entertainment-industry cases that illustrate how judges have decided cease-and-desist letters issues.
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