Entertainment and Sports Law

A look at moves among attorneys, law firms, companies and other players in entertainment law.

Mixed Ruling in Police Officer's Lawsuit Over Depiction in Netflix Documentary New York Court Rules Music Plaintiffs Failed To Establish Vimeo's "Red Flag" Knowledge Third Circuit Rejects Agency Law Principles in Deciding Work-for-Hire Issue in Termination Rights Dispute Over Game of Life Board Game

The significance of the U.S. Tax Court decision for celebrities and their estates is clear: Prior to now, as Tax Court Judge Mark V. Holmes noted: "We haven't had a case directly addressing the taxability of the image and likeness."

Maybe the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit should have been a little more patient.

In a split decision that closely examined what constitutes a person being considered a limited public figure for the purposes of defamation standards, the New York Appellate Division, First Department, ruled that acclaimed music producer Lukasz "Dr. Luke" Gottwald is neither a general nor a limited public figure for the purposes of his defamation suit against famed singer Kesha, who has claimed Gottwald drugged and sexually assaulted her.

When NBA star Jimmy Butler's former sports agency sued him last year seeking a portion of the proceeds from a $5 million Nike endorsement contract, Butler's lawyer didn't just stick to playing defense.

In a rare ruling, the Cinemark movie theater chain won the chance to keep litigating against its insurance company, seeking losses under a $500 million policy for business interruption from COVID-19.

A look at moves among attorneys, law firms, companies and other players in entertainment law.