Mob Wives Star's Suit Sparks New Look at NY Publicity Rights
May 02, 2014
Earlier this year, former <i> Mob Wives</i> TV star Karen Gravano filed a right-of-publicity lawsuit against the makers of the <i>Grand Theft Auto V</i> video game, claiming they misappropriated her image and life story for a character in the popular video game. This case is one more in a string of recent cases raising a significant common question: To what extent does the law protect the rights of content creators to draw on real-life individuals and events to create expressive works?
Consumer Groups Decry FCC's Net Neutrality Proposal
May 02, 2014
Consumer advocates reacted with dismay to reports that the FCC plans to allow Internet service providers to charge companies a toll for faster access, while FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler defended the proposed rules as consistent with the underlying goals of net neutrality.
Consumer Groups Decry FCC's Net Neutrality Proposal
May 02, 2014
Consumer advocates reacted with dismay to reports that the FCC plans to allow Internet service providers to charge companies a toll for faster access, while FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler defended the proposed rules as consistent with the underlying goals of net neutrality.
Author's Rights Grant to Publisher Included e-Books
April 02, 2014
Today's book publishing agreements typically include a grant of e-book rights from an author to a publisher. But contracts from the pre-e-book era have been contested as to whether the older agreements give the author or the publisher the e-book rights in the author's works. The U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York has decided that the phrase "now known or hereafter invented" granted the e-book rights to the publisher.
Bit Parts
April 02, 2014
ICM Partners Escapes Personal Jurisdiction in Film Suit in Washington State<br>In Suit Against Sony Music, Toto Is Denied Access To Apple/UMG Agreements<br>Rulings in Advance of Beastie Boys' Trial Against Monster Energy
Future Proofing Your Law Firm
April 02, 2014
More than ever, "Future Proofing the Law Firm" is something that is moving in tandem with the predictive nature of our times. In other words, predictive analytics, Big Data and social search are reshaping our consumer behavioral interfaces as well as forward client side corporate integration strategy.
Pondering Updates To Copyright Law In Digital Era
April 02, 2014
With Congress considering copyright reform and digital streaming upending the music business, the U.S. Copyright Office has announced it is studying the effectiveness of the music-licensing system. In an effort to assist Congress, the Copyright Office said it is looking for public input on Copyright Act of 1976 provisions that established government-regulated music-licensing regimes.
SESAC Faces Narrower Claim For Anti-Trust
April 02, 2014
The U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York refused to throw out part of an antitrust class action brought by television station owners against SESAC, the music licensing organization that represents about 20,000 composers. The ruling came just three months after a magistrate judge in Pennsylvania ruled that radio broadcasters are likely to prevail on similar claims against SESAC.
