Features

Malpractice Claim Over Prince Tracks Is Governed by Massachusetts Law
The Mass. 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.
Features

Defamation Cases Against Netflix, Funimation Have Different Outcomes
Defamation litigation crops up often in the entertainment industry. Two recent Texas Court of Appeals opinions raise issues worth noting in such cases, though each of the Texas decisions had different outcomes.
Features

Pondering AI Machine Learning and Copyright Fair Use
By feeding machine-learning models hundreds of copyrighted pictures to train them to identify and "read" certain concepts, companies could face violating copyright laws.
Columns & Departments
Fresh Filings
Rapper 50 Cent filed a right-of-publicity lawsuit against Angela Kogan and her company Perfection Plastic Surgery & MedSpa in Florida Southern District…
Columns & Departments
Players On the Move
A look at moves among attorneys, law firms, companies and other players in entertainment law.
Features

Federal Judge Takes Aim at Legal Process for Targeting Counterfeit Merchandisers
The rebound in concert tours and ticket revenues as 2022 has unfolded gives the live events industry hope for a strong 2023, too. For many tours, though, it's income from merchandise that makes the tour profitable. Thus, the rise in the number of artists touring also means a parallel resurgence in the activities of counterfeit-merchandise sellers and renewed efforts by the industry to battle its long-time problem with the sale of counterfeit merchandise near event venues.
Features

The Story Behind AFM & SAG-AFTRA Royalty Fund Distribution Litigation
The case of a session musician's unpaid royalties revealed a gross lack of initiative on the part of the trustees and directors of AFM & SAG-AFTRA Intellectual Property Rights Distribution Fund and that the fund administrators had made little if any effort for years to distribute funds to thousands of session musicians and backup singers.
Features

Update on Changes In New York's Ticket Sales Law
NY's update to its regulatory scheme for event ticketing principally affects the rules governing disclosure requirements for primary ticket sale prices and restricts the means of secondary ticket resale, including by expanding penalties for the use of scalper software "bots" and unauthorized ticket purchasing software.
Features

Esports Industry Labor, Employment Law Concerns
One of the issues facing the esports industry is the classification of professional players as employees versus independent contractors. This issue is of particular concern for companies operating competitive esports teams and/or using the services of content creators.
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