Features
Robert W. Clarida
&
Robert J. Bernstein
For the past five years, the copyright bar and the music industry have carefully followed the many twists and turns of the potentially monumental infringement case that asserted that the opening of the iconic Led Zeppelin song "Stairway to Heaven" was copied from the introduction of a little-known 1967 instrumental "Taurus," written by the late Randy California. In March 2020, a unanimous en banc panel of the entire Ninth Circuit affirmed portions of a prior three-judge appellate ruling that "Stairway" did not infringe the Spirit song — and in the process resolved some thorny issues involving substantial similarity and copyright scope that will be important for future litigants
Features
Scott Graham
Defendants Led Zeppelin and its music labels were the winners in the copyright decision by the Ninth Circuit over the song "Stairway to Heaven." But the estate of songwriter Randy Wolfe (p/k/a California) wasn't the only one who got the short end. Among the collateral damage from the ruling was a 2002 precedent written by former Chief Judge Alex Kozinski that endorsed the so-called "inverse-ratio" rule.
Features
Ryan W. Morris
The Copyright Alternative in Small Claims Enforcement Act is a proposed congressional amendment to the current copyright statute that would create an alternative dispute resolution program for copyright small claims and other legal proceedings.
Features
Andrea Perez
Recent lawsuits have grappled with the fair use of one's likeness in video games, attempting to apply established order to a changing field.
Features
Katheryn Tucker
It was a trial to remember for Morgan, Lewis & Bockius partner Grace Speights, lead defense attorney for PBS against Tavis Smiley, former long-running…
Columns & Departments
Stan Soocher
Los Angeles Federal Judge Tosses Out Jury's Infringement Verdict Against Katy Perry in "Dark Horse" Song Case
Sales Agreement for Film Assets of Distributor in Bankruptcy Doesn't Affect Separate Lender for One of Debtor's Movies
Features
Michael L. Cook
High Court Rejects Application of Bob Roberts Rule
Federal courts should "turn to state law to resolve" a "fight over a tax refund," held a unanimous U.S. Supreme Court in Rodriquez v. FDIC (In re United W Bancorp., Inc.)
Features
Jacqueline C. Wolff, Scott T. Lashway,
&
Matthew M.K. Stein
In times of crisis, criminal activity — particularly crimes involving theft and fraud — tend to spike. There is no reason to believe that the Covid-19 pandemic and the unrest in the financial markets will be any different. An important difference for company counsel, however, will be in how the malfeasance, negligence or wrongdoing can be investigated.
Features
Lidia Dinkova
Potential Clients Are Reaching Out to Bankruptcy Attorneys to Assess the Need for Business Filings
Bankruptcy attorneys expected to get calls as the coronavirus pandemic swiftly slowed the economy — and they were right.
Features
Lisa Brown
The coronavirus has brokers guessing as to how this will affect leasing in the short term, and a report says leasing activity is likely to have a degree of decline in transaction volumes compared to pre-crisis expectations
