New Lawyers for MTV in Dispute with Pearlman
July 23, 2009
The tangled bankruptcy mess created by former boy band impresario Lou Pearlman, currently in prison after admitting he ran a $300 million Ponzi scheme, has left a trail of out-of-pocket investors looking to recoup their losses.
Provisions in Book Author/Studio Contracts Covering Motion Picture Sequels
July 23, 2009
Anyone following summer motion picture releases will note the seasonal prevalence of big budget sequels to successful films. In some instances, sequels are derived solely from the scripts of previously produced motion pictures (<i>e.g.</i>, <i>Terminator</i>, <i>Night at the Museum</i>). In other instances, they connect with books or book series that were made into one or more prior films (<i>e.g.</i>, <i>Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince</i>, <i>Angels & Demons</i>). Mindful of the vast rewards that can flow from these so-called "franchises" (<i>e.g.</i>, the James Bond franchise), Hollywood studios structure their agreements with book authors to maximize their chances of creating one.
News Briefs
June 30, 2009
Highlights of the latest franchising news from around the country.
FERA Expands Enforcement Options
June 30, 2009
The Fraud Enforcement and Recovery Act of 2009 (FERA), enacted in May, was easy to miss. Yet this small piece of legislation makes a number of significant changes to the federal money laundering and criminal fraud statutes ' changes about which lawyers who represent clients accused of white-collar crimes will want to be aware.
Estate Planning: Attorneys and CPAs ' Perfect Together
June 30, 2009
Whether or not a law firm offers its clients estate planning services, the input of a CPA is vital to ensure that a client receives the most comprehensive estate planning advice. Law firms without estate planning capabilities should work closely with accounting firms that do have estate planning expertise in order to realize an additional revenue stream from existing clients.
IP News
June 30, 2009
Highlights of the latest intellectual property news from around the country.
Disgorge This: The Restitution Defense Meets the Duty to Defend
June 30, 2009
The restitution defense to insurance coverage proceeds from a simple and logical premise. If I steal money from you and am forced to return it, there is no loss for my insurer to reimburse because I never had a right to the money in the first place. Life is rarely so simple, however, and insurers have asserted the restitution defense — with varying degrees of success — in a broad range of situations, some having little connection to the original premise.
