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.
June 02, 2017Todd Cunningham
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.
June 02, 2017P.J. D'Annunzio and Stan SoocherMuch 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.
June 02, 2017Michael I. Rudell and Neil J. RosiniA 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.
June 02, 2017Celia AmpelA 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.
June 02, 2017Jason GrantCalifornia Talent Agencies Act Isn't "Vague"
Motion to Amend Is Granted In Dispute Over Sale Opportunity for Ben E. King Song Royalties
"Thin" Copyright Protection for JokesJune 02, 2017Stan SoocherFamed 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.
May 02, 2017Amanda BronstadIn the digital age, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has been keeping tabs on the growing trend of brands hiring so-called "influencers" — athletes, celebrities and others with large followings — to promote their products on social media. In April, the FTC turned its attention downstream to the "influencers" themselves, sending 90 letters to influencers and marketers informing them of their responsibility to "clearly and conspicuously" disclose the business relationships behind social media posts.
May 02, 2017C. Ryan BarberCelebrities who are fiercely protective of their image and branding fight back, bringing an increasing number of lawsuits when it appears that a video game creator has borrowed without permission. These right of publicity cases highlight the tension that exists between the rights of public figures to control the way their image and likeness is used in commercial contexts and the First Amendment.
May 02, 2017Christine E. WellerAn enlarged print of an Instagram post containing a copyrighted photo counts as a transformative use, an attorney for "appropriation artist" Richard Prince — whose use of other artists' material in his own works has made him no stranger to the courts — argued before a New York federal judge in April.
May 02, 2017Andrew Denney
