WHAT DOES WORK IN THE RED ZONE III.
January 28, 2008
WHAT WORKS IN THE RED ZONE III. I have often heard corporate counsel say that they hate surprises from their outside counsel. And surveys of corporate counsel always rank communication from their law firms as an important factor in maintaining strong, working relationships. A simple technique, often overlooked by outside lawyers heavily engaged in a project, is to set periodic meetings with their clients. Don't wait for them to ask questions or confront problems in…
Distressed Hedge Funds Amidst the Credit Crunch
January 28, 2008
As we begin a new year, many beleaguered hedge funds will reflect on 2007 and how the credit crunch affected Wall Street, corporate borrowers and hedge funds in the long run. Although nobody knows if the end of troubled times is near, we do know that a sustained recovery will take lots of know-how, cooperation and willingness to be more transparent in our dealings with one another and, perhaps, some old-fashioned work.
Bit Parts
January 28, 2008
Karaoke Recordings/Synchronization Licenses<br>File-Sharing Suits/Attorney Fees<br>Song Infringement/Access<br>Trademarks/Record Labels
Counsel Concerns
January 28, 2008
Personal Jurisdiction in Legal Fees Dispute<br>Statutory Interest on Legal Fees Owed
Cameo Clips
January 28, 2008
FILM PRODUCTION/ARBITRATION<br>RIGHTS IN BAND NAMES/LACHES
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.
