Columns & Departments
Bit Parts
Mash-Up of Dr. Seuss/Star Trek Components Is a Fair Use
Features

Netflix Dooming Need for Foreign Presales Deals
Foreign rights presales, which since the 1970s have been used by independent Hollywood producers to raise funds to get their movies shot, are quickly becoming a thing of the past. Credit Netflix for giving them a big shove out the door. So what does that mean for Hollywood's deal lawyers? Bigger rights deals — but fewer of them to go around.
Features

Drake Wins on Sampling Fair Use; Plaintiffs' Song Ownership Muddy
While copyright registration normally constitutes prima facie evidence of copyright ownership, the court noted that the estate had registered the song copyright 31 years after it was originally published and only in response to the defendants' sampling of the song on Drake's album.
Features

Uncertainty in China-Hollywood Entertainment Financing Relationships, But Hope Remains
Uncertainty and the drumbeat of a possible trade war are ominous clouds currently hanging over relations with Chinese investors, several of Hollywood's top deal-making attorneys say.
Features

Supreme Court Won't Take 'Who's on First' Copyright Case
First the copyright infringement case over the use of Abbott and Costello's "Who's on First" routine in a Broadway play was dismissed by a New York federal judge. Then it rounded the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit, but was tagged out again. Now, in its third at bat, the lawsuit struck out with the U.S. Supreme Court declining to review the case.
Features

Primer on Industry Contingent Compensation Provisions
Much can be learned about the entertainment industry by comparing how those who perform services or license rights in their works are compensated under agreements to which they are a party. Some compensation in those agreements is fixed and essentially guaranteed, such as advances and flat fees. Other types, which are the subjects of this article, are contingent.
Features

Angry Fed. Judge Throws Out Song Infringement Suit
A Miami company's decision to defend a small-potatoes copyright case all the way to trial paid off when the case was dismissed after a few hours — by an angry federal judge.
Features

Rebecca Musical PR Agent Liable, But Damages Low
A jury has handed down a mixed verdict in the trial of a Broadway press agent accused of scaring off an angel investor who stood ready to save the ill-fated production Rebecca — The Musical.
Columns & Departments
Bit Parts
California Talent Agencies Act Isn't "Vague"<br>Motion to Amend Is Granted In Dispute Over Sale Opportunity for Ben E. King Song Royalties<br>"Thin" Copyright Protection for Jokes
Features

<b><i>Counsel Concerns</b></i><br>Dr. Luke's Suit Against Geragos Over Tweet Survives Dismissal Motion
Famed Los Angeles attorney Mark Geragos will have to face a defamation suit over his Twitter posts implying that record producer Dr. Luke raped Lady Gaga.
Need Help?
- Prefer an IP authenticated environment? Request a transition or call 800-756-8993.
- Need other assistance? email Customer Service or call 1-877-256-2472.
MOST POPULAR STORIES
- A Lawyer's System for Active ReadingActive reading comprises many daily tasks lawyers engage in, including highlighting, annotating, note taking, comparing and searching texts. It demands more than flipping or turning pages.Read More ›
- The Brave New World of Cybersecurity Due Diligence in Mergers and Acquisitions: Pitfalls and OpportunitiesLike poorly-behaved school children, new technologies and intellectual property (IP) are increasingly disrupting the M&A establishment. Cybersecurity has become the latest disruptive newcomer to the M&A party.Read More ›
- The 'Sophisticated Insured' DefenseA majority of courts consider the <i>contra proferentem</i> doctrine to be a pillar of insurance law. The doctrine requires ambiguous terms in an insurance policy to be construed against the insurer and in favor of coverage for the insured. A prominent rationale behind the doctrine is that insurance policies are usually standard-form contracts drafted entirely by insurers.Read More ›
- Removing Restrictive Covenants In New YorkIn Rockwell v. Despart, the New York Supreme Court, Third Department, recently revisited a recurring question: When may a landowner seek judicial removal of a covenant restricting use of her land?Read More ›
- The New York Uniform Commercial Code Comes of AgeParties in large non-consumer transactions with no connection whatsoever to New York often choose its law to govern their transactions, and New York statutes permit them to do so. What most people do not know is that the New York Uniform Commercial Code is outdated.Read More ›