Pretty Ricky Leaving Member Spurs Litigation
January 28, 2008
After its first two releases went gold, Miami rap-R&B upstart Pretty Ricky claims one member ' Pleasure ' broke the rules by doing what music stars like Beyonce Knowles and Justin Timberlake have done in the past: going solo. The group's Fort Lauderdale, FL-based management company Bluestar Entertainment International is suing Pleasure, whose real name is Marcus Cooper, for performing outside the group.
<b>Practice Notes: </b>Supreme Court Justices Ask Tough Qs In 'Judge Alex' Case
January 28, 2008
Jan. 14, 2008 marked Eric Brunstad's seventh oral argument before the Supreme Court and it was a doozy, with justices hitting him harder than almost any lawyer in recent memory. The case was <i>Preston v. Ferrer</i>, an arbitration case that also has a modicum of celebrity appeal because of the identity of Brunstad's client. Brunstad was arguing on behalf of Alex Ferrer, a former Florida judge who stars in the syndicated 'Judge Alex' TV show in which, ironically enough, he arbitrates disputes between ordinary folks over issues like falling trees and damaged furniture.
Suit Seeks Share Of Profits from 'Jersey Boys'
January 28, 2008
In the months before his death from cancer in 1991, Beaumont, TX, lawyer Rex Conrad Woodard helped Thomas Gaetano DeVito, an original member of the pop group the Four Seasons, write an autobiographical book, Woodard's widow alleges. Woodard died before the book could be published. Now, with the work allegedly partly the basis for the hit Broadway musical 'Jersey Boys,' Woodard's widow has sued DeVito for a share of income stemming from the work.
Uses of Athletes' Persona and Related Indicia Raise Many Intellectual-Property Issues
January 28, 2008
The value of athletes' personas and related indicia is a bedrock component of the sports industries. Merchandising and endorsement deals date back decades. But this tradition hasn't meant a smooth ride today. Disputes over athlete indicia are as common as those for entertainers. An examination of several court rulings from the past few weeks demonstrates common claims and defenses over licensed and unlicensed uses.
Zebra Selects CT TyMetrix 360 for Billing
January 28, 2008
Zebra Technologies Corporation's legal department has five attorneys, a director of patents and technology, a director of international trade compliance and three administrative assistants. In addition to the matters handled exclusively in-house, Zebra has more than 1,350 matters open at this time. We work with approximately 25 law firms that generate approximately 200 invoices per month. To assist in the management of these documents, we selected CT TyMetrix T360' to help us organize, manage and pay invoices.
Getting Smart About Analyzing Electronically Stored Information
January 28, 2008
Not long ago, the pain of analyzing electronically stored information (ESI) for legal e-discovery, regulatory inquiries, and corporate investigations was hardly a blip on the radar screen. Fast forward to 2007, where e-discovery and its concomitant analysis has become a major component of any discovery request. This article takes a step back to evaluate whether efforts to streamline the analysis of ESI data have been effectively applied. My sense is that although the times have changed and methods of communication (Blackberrys, instant messaging, etc.) have become unquestionably more sophisticated, the e-discovery process has stagnated. The legal industry as a whole has been slow to keep up with change. As a result, it's getting harder to justify the cost and time that goes into the antiquated process many have grown accustomed to using.
The IT Utility for Law Firms
January 28, 2008
Over the past five years, the concept of an IT Utility for law firms has evolved from an interesting concept to an attractive business strategy. Growth of the IT Utility (off-premise IT services such as Co-location and Managed Services) is fueled by the confluence of increased interest by law firms in outsourcing routine administrative functions with rapidly maturing enabling technology such as security tools and services, affordable high bandwidth data communications, and management tools for large scale data centers. The IT Utility is part of a new model for managing technology infrastructure at law firms.
<b>Practice Tip</b>Going Native: Using Word 2007 With Enhanced Native Architecture
January 28, 2008
With the introduction of Microsoft Office 2007, many firms are reviewing their template and macro packages for Word before they upgrade. Since the look and feel of Word '07 is so different, the migration is a significant upgrade and new training is needed. Now is a good time to review the integrated products, discover what is available natively in Word, and make a change if necessary.
Better e-Billing by Leveraging Experience and Relationships
January 28, 2008
A recent study by the LEDES Oversight Committee reported that 73% of responding law firms find that 'electronic billing is either an additional or huge burden on the firm, from which they gain absolutely no benefit.' More amazingly, these results are similar to ' but worse than ' the results of a LawNet survey done almost five years earlier. Taking note of the lack of progress encouraged me to sit down and seriously evaluate what's working, what's not, and what practical steps we can take to help move this industry in the right direction.
