Litigation

  • Defining Project Management for e-Discovery Success

    The practice of project management in e-discovery has traditionally been loosely defined, with significant variation in the application of the fundamentals and the people performing these services. In some cases, the individual taking a project management role on a case is an attorney or paralegal, while in others it's the e-discovery services provider's account manager. Some project managers come from IT or document management roles. Within any given case, multiple "project managers" may work together, each applying their own set of practices and procedures.

    May 27, 2010Christopher Wilen

  • Bit Parts

    Copyright Infringement Suit over Dreamgirls Is Dismissed
    Louisiana Federal Court Lacks Jurisdiction over French Studio
    Second Circuit Sees Different "Concept and Feel" in Cookbooks Dispute
    Unauthorized Use of Photo on Fiction Book Violates NY Publicity Right

    May 27, 2010Stan Soocher

  • Counsel Concerns

    Amendment Denied For Malpractice Suit Over 'Bowie Bonds'
    Malicious Prosecution Suit Is Reinstated Against Manatt Phelps

    May 27, 2010Stan Soocher and Cheryl Miller

  • Cameo Clips

    COPYRIGHT DAMAGES/STATUTORY 'WORK'
    COPYRIGHT JURISDICTION/RELATED CONTRACT CLAIMS

    May 27, 2010Stan Soocher

  • Mysterious Lawyer Is at Center of Suit Against Counsel To 'Superman' Heirs

    Given that the story lines played out in Superman comic books are full of shadowy figures with dark motivations, it seems fitting that the real world legal fight over who owns the rights to the Man of Steel would feature such a character in a pivotal role. On May 14, Warner Bros. sued Marc Toberoff, the lawyer for the comic icon's co-creators' families, in federal court in Los Angeles, accusing him of engaging in a "scheme" to "enrich himself" by trying to wrongfully seize control of a substantial chunk of the Superman property.

    May 27, 2010Drew Combs

  • Copyright Ruling on Photo Registrations

    Talk about winning on a technicality. In a copyright infringement case brought by photographers who sued Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Co. over the allegedly unapproved use of their photos, Chief Judge Loretta Preska of Manhattan federal district court ruled in May that the works at issue had not been properly registered. Judge Preska threw out most of the photographers' claims in her 24-page ruling.

    May 27, 2010Andrew Longstreth

  • IP News

    Highlights of the latest intellectual property cases from around the country.

    May 27, 2010Jeffrey S. Ginsberg and Matthew Berkowitz

  • Suit By Author Michael Connelly Is Good Reason to Take Close Look at Film Turnaround Provisions

    It takes a good while for a producer to develop a motion picture based on a book. A screenwriter must be engaged, decisions must be made about how to adapt the book into a film, the screenplay must be written and revised, and then an entire creative team must be assembled. For this reason, the producer attempts to structure the acquisition agreement with the book author in the form of an option coupled with a self-executing purchase agreement. The option period gives the producer time to complete development activities, and if the option is exercised, the purchase agreement transfers audiovisual rights without further discussion.

    May 27, 2010Michael I. Rudell and Neil J. Rosini

  • Court Watch

    Highlights of the latest franchising cases from around the country.

    May 27, 2010Cynthia M. Klaus and Meredith A. Bauer

  • In the Courts

    An in-depth look at a recent ruling.

    May 27, 2010ALM Staff | Law Journal Newsletters |