Players On the Move
A look at moves among attorneys, law firms, companies and other players in entertainment law.
Read More › Features
Uncertainty in China-Hollywood Entertainment Financing Relationships, But Hope Remains
Todd Cunningham
Uncertainty and the drumbeat of a possible trade war are ominous clouds currently hanging over relations with Chinese investors, several of Hollywood's top deal-making attorneys say.
Features
Supreme Court Won't Take 'Who's on First' Copyright Case
P.J. D'Annunzio
&
Stan Soocher
First the copyright infringement case over the use of Abbott and Costello's "Who's on First" routine in a Broadway play was dismissed by a New York federal judge. Then it rounded the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit, but was tagged out again. Now, in its third at bat, the lawsuit struck out with the U.S. Supreme Court declining to review the case.
Features
Primer on Industry Contingent Compensation Provisions
Michael I. Rudell
&
Neil J. Rosini
Much can be learned about the entertainment industry by comparing how those who perform services or license rights in their works are compensated under agreements to which they are a party. Some compensation in those agreements is fixed and essentially guaranteed, such as advances and flat fees. Other types, which are the subjects of this article, are contingent.
Features
Angry Fed. Judge Throws Out Song Infringement Suit
Celia Ampel
A Miami company's decision to defend a small-potatoes copyright case all the way to trial paid off when the case was dismissed after a few hours — by an angry federal judge.
Features
Rebecca Musical PR Agent Liable, But Damages Low
Jason Grant
A jury has handed down a mixed verdict in the trial of a Broadway press agent accused of scaring off an angel investor who stood ready to save the ill-fated production Rebecca — The Musical.
Columns & Departments
Bit Parts
Stan Soocher
California Talent Agencies Act Isn't "Vague"<br>Motion to Amend Is Granted In Dispute Over Sale Opportunity for Ben E. King Song Royalties<br>"Thin" Copyright Protection for Jokes
Features
<b><i>Counsel Concerns</b></i><br>Dr. Luke's Suit Against Geragos Over Tweet Survives Dismissal Motion
Amanda Bronstad
Famed Los Angeles attorney Mark Geragos will have to face a defamation suit over his Twitter posts implying that record producer Dr. Luke raped Lady Gaga.
Features
FTC's Letter to Paid 'Influencers'
C. Ryan Barber
In the digital age, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has been keeping tabs on the growing trend of brands hiring so-called "influencers" — athletes, celebrities and others with large followings — to promote their products on social media. In April, the FTC turned its attention downstream to the "influencers" themselves, sending 90 letters to influencers and marketers informing them of their responsibility to "clearly and conspicuously" disclose the business relationships behind social media posts.
Features
A Look at Right of Publicity Suit Over <i>Gears of War</i>
Christine E. Weller
Celebrities who are fiercely protective of their image and branding fight back, bringing an increasing number of lawsuits when it appears that a video game creator has borrowed without permission. These right of publicity cases highlight the tension that exists between the rights of public figures to control the way their image and likeness is used in commercial contexts and the First Amendment.
Features
Can Instagram Post of Photo Become Transformative?
Andrew Denney
An enlarged print of an Instagram post containing a copyrighted photo counts as a transformative use, an attorney for "appropriation artist" Richard Prince — whose use of other artists' material in his own works has made him no stranger to the courts — argued before a New York federal judge in April.
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