Features
Charles Toutant
Litigation tactics employed by frequent filers of copyright infringement suits may face heavy criticism in light of a recent ruling by a federal judge in New Jersey.
Columns & Departments
Stan Soocher
Alleged Verbal Agreement For Promotion of Concerts Found Unenforceable
"Chapel of Love" Singer's Niece Fails to Show Court in Royalties Dispute Had Personal Jurisdiction over Defendant
Fair Use Defense Can Be Raised Under California's Sound Recording Misappropriation Statute
Features
Doug Stansfield
As a matter of practice, law firms generate and store incomprehensible amounts of data. Most, if not all, of that data has been digitized and many firms that recognize the untapped value of their data have begun to leverage sophisticated technologies to mine it for reusable work product and valuable insights.
Features
Stan Soocher
Disputes over film financing agreements are common, but there are few court decisions that address film financing dustups involving §10(b) of the federal Securities Exchange Act. Now the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Florida has issued a ruling that addresses the pleading requirements for alleging a §10(b) violation, in litigation between an investor and a film production company.
Features
Michael S. Poster
The purpose of a Weinstein clause is to provide assurance that the target company (including its officers and executives) is not a hotbed of sexual harassment or a ticking time bomb of claims waiting to explode. This article on drafting and negotiating Weinstein clauses should help entertainment and media deal teams balance these risks.
Features
Peter Janovsky
A debtor's goal in a Chapter 11 Bankruptcy is to confirm a "plan of reorganization." Creditors usually have the right to vote for or against a plan, and in some cases, a plan can be confirmed over the objection of one or more classes of creditors. This is called a "cram-down." The Bankruptcy Code's rules governing cram-down are complex and differ for secured and unsecured classes of creditors. This article shows how bankruptcy courts have ruled on a particular method of cram-down known as a "dirt-for-debt" plan.
Features
Scott Graham
There was much harmony along with a few discordant notes as an en banc panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit took up the copyright case involving Led Zeppelin's "Stairway to Heaven."
Features
Joseph F. Savage Jr.
&
Christopher J.C. Herbert
In an environment of aggressive federal prosecution and regulation both businesses and public officials are challenged to identify the permissible line between proper financial transactions — things like campaign contributions and business entertainment — and unlawful payments. And, in what the First Circuit called a "novel theory of Hobbs Act extortion," public officials now have to struggle with the scope of permissible advocacy — when does advocacy for constituents become extortion?
Features
Michael W. Mitchell
&
Edward Roche
The decision in Brammer v. Violent Hues sheds some light on when re-posting will be a "fair use" and when it will give rise to liability.
Features
Michael F. Snyder
The ownership of intellectual property rights can be at the core of legal disputes involving pop culture icons. Considering the goodwill, effort and money spent in building a brand, character or commercial impression, it is not surprising that parties to intellectual property agreements find themselves revisiting their arrangements over time. That is what is happening in two recent federal lawsuits, one in New York involving a beloved figure in Philadelphia sports and the other in California focused on the Old Spice cologne commercial jingle.
