Law.com Subscribers SAVE 30%

Call 855-808-4530 or email [email protected] to receive your discount on a new subscription.

Counsel Concerns

By ALM Staff | Law Journal Newsletters |
May 30, 2007

Consulting and Retainer Agreements/Suit for Payment. The U.S. District Court for the District of Nevada granted summary judgment in part for Nevada-based entertainment attorney John Mason on his claim of breach of legal-services agreements by a film-production company. Mason v. Artwork Pictures LLC, 3:03-cv-00188-LRH (VPC). Florida-based Artworks Pictures had hired Mason as consulting counsel for the production of the movie 'Bolivar the Liberator' and for 36 months as counsel on other legal issues. In 2003, Mason filed suit in Nevada federal court against Artworks and its president Edgard Meinhardt-Iturbe to collect $1,050,019 Mason claimed he was still owed under the agreements.

When Mason filed for a summary-judgment ruling that the defendants breached the counsel agreements, Meinhardt-Iturbe moved for additional time to respond. But the district court noted that 'approximately six months have passed since Defendant's last filing and Defendant has yet to file a formal opposition to Plaintiff's motion. Further, despite Defendant's protestations concerning his ability to receive documents, there is no evidence presented that service was improper or failed to occur in regard to any of the documents in this matter. Rather, Defendant merely contends that it takes a good while for him to receive the documents. The court, therefore, finds no grounds upon which a further extension would be warranted and turns to determining whether summary judgment is appropriate.'

This premium content is locked for Entertainment Law & Finance subscribers only

  • Stay current on the latest information, rulings, regulations, and trends
  • Includes practical, must-have information on copyrights, royalties, AI, and more
  • Tap into expert guidance from top entertainment lawyers and experts

For enterprise-wide or corporate acess, please contact Customer Service at [email protected] or 877-256-2473

Read These Next
The DOJ's Corporate Enforcement Policy: One Year Later Image

The DOJ's Criminal Division issued three declinations since the issuance of the revised CEP a year ago. Review of these cases gives insight into DOJ's implementation of the new policy in practice.

The Bankruptcy Hotline Image

Recent cases of importance to your practice.

Use of Deferred Prosecution Agreements In White Collar Investigations Image

This article discusses the practical and policy reasons for the use of DPAs and NPAs in white-collar criminal investigations, and considers the NDAA's new reporting provision and its relationship with other efforts to enhance transparency in DOJ decision-making.

How AI Has Affected PR Image

When we consider how the use of AI affects legal PR and communications, we have to look at it as an industrywide global phenomenon. A recent online conference provided an overview of the latest AI trends in public relations, and specifically, the impact of AI on communications. Here are some of the key points and takeaways from several of the speakers, who provided current best practices, tips, concerns and case studies.

The DOJ's New Parameters for Evaluating Corporate Compliance Programs Image

The parameters set forth in the DOJ's memorandum have implications not only for the government's evaluation of compliance programs in the context of criminal charging decisions, but also for how defense counsel structure their conference-room advocacy seeking declinations or lesser sanctions in both criminal and civil investigations.