Law.com Subscribers SAVE 30%

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

Malpractice Claim Over Prince Tracks Is Governed by Massachusetts Law

By Colleen Murphy
October 01, 2022

The Massachusetts Appeals Court ruled that a legal malpractice claim brought by representatives of the iconic musician Prince's estate against an attorney and his firm is governed by Massachusetts, not Minnesota, law. Comerica Bank & Trust N.A. v. Brown & Rosen LLC, Lawyers Weekly No. 11-083-22.

Following the April 2016 death of Prince, full name Prince Rogers Nelson, sound engineer George Ian Boxill sought to release five of the late musician's recorded songs in his possession. Boxill partnered with distribution company Rogue Music Alliance (RMA) to commercialize the five previously unreleased songs that were known as the "Deliverance Recordings," according to the appeals court's opinion.

Boxill and RMA retained Massachusetts-based entertainment attorney Christopher L. Brown of Brown & Rosen "for the express purpose of providing legal advice regarding intellectual property and ownership issues pertaining to the release of the Deliverance Recordings," the court explained.

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
Major Differences In UK, U.S. Copyright Laws Image

This article highlights how copyright law in the United Kingdom differs from U.S. copyright law, and points out differences that may be crucial to entertainment and media businesses familiar with U.S law that are interested in operating in the United Kingdom or under UK law. The article also briefly addresses contrasts in UK and U.S. trademark law.

The Article 8 Opt In Image

The Article 8 opt-in election adds an additional layer of complexity to the already labyrinthine rules governing perfection of security interests under the UCC. A lender that is unaware of the nuances created by the opt in (may find its security interest vulnerable to being primed by another party that has taken steps to perfect in a superior manner under the circumstances.

Strategy vs. Tactics: Two Sides of a Difficult Coin Image

With each successive large-scale cyber attack, it is slowly becoming clear that ransomware attacks are targeting the critical infrastructure of the most powerful country on the planet. Understanding the strategy, and tactics of our opponents, as well as the strategy and the tactics we implement as a response are vital to victory.

Legal Possession: What Does It Mean? Image

Possession of real property is a matter of physical fact. Having the right or legal entitlement to possession is not "possession," possession is "the fact of having or holding property in one's power." That power means having physical dominion and control over the property.

The Anti-Assignment Override Provisions Image

UCC Sections 9406(d) and 9408(a) are one of the most powerful, yet least understood, sections of the Uniform Commercial Code. On their face, they appear to override anti-assignment provisions in agreements that would limit the grant of a security interest. But do these sections really work?