California Appeals Court Rules on Anti-SLAPP Motion In Battle Over Dueling TV Show Proposals
January 01, 2022
State "anti-SLAPP" statutes offer a fertile avenue for motions to strike allegations in lawsuits filed over expressive content. These laws are aimed at allowing a defendant to file a motion to strike a "Strategic Lawsuit Against Public Participation," such as those based on public comments and content issued by a defendant. The most-recent significant anti-SLAPP court decision involving the entertainment industry was issued in December 2021 by the California Court of Appeal.
How §365(n) Can Help Licensees When Licensors File for Bankruptcy
January 01, 2022
This article seeks to explain the scope of §365(n), then touches upon steps that intellectual property licensees can take to minimize the loss of the use of their licenses, such as those involving copyrights in entertainment content, in the event a licensor files for bankruptcy.
What Does Life Look Like for PR Post-COVID?
January 01, 2022
There was no shortage of COVID-related PR opportunities having an impact on practice groups across the board, from real estate to bankruptcy to employment and more. This wave started in 2020 and continued well into 2021. Once the pandemic does finally fade from our lives, what will the new normal for legal PR look like?
Biometric Privacy: A Year In Review (2021) and The Year Ahead (2022)
January 01, 2022
The year started with Portland, Oregon's ban on the use of facial recognition technology by private entities in places of "public" accommodation. It concluded with the rendering of important appellate decisions on the Illinois Biometric Information Privacy Act. In the middle, was the continued flurry of litigation, class action settlements, and legislative activity.
COVID-19 and Lease Negotiations: Early Termination Provisions
January 01, 2022
During the COVID-19 pandemic, some tenants were able to negotiate termination agreements with their landlords. But even though a landlord may agree to terminate a lease to regain control of a defaulting tenant's space without costly and lengthy litigation, typically a defaulting tenant that otherwise has no contractual right to terminate its lease will be in a much weaker bargaining position with respect to the conditions for termination.
Update on Bankruptcy Appellate Practice: Part Two — Equitable Mootness
January 01, 2022
This installment of our appellate practice series reviews recent cases addressing the equitable mootness doctrine. The issue ultimately often turns on whether it is practical and fair for an appellate court to review an appeal on the merits, enabling that court to avoid review altogether.
Miramax's NFT Suit Over Pulp Fiction
January 01, 2022
The Miramax film and tv studio, and its lawyers at Proskauer Rose, shook up both the IP and blockchain communities recently when Miramax sued to block film director Quentin Tarantino from selling non-fungible tokens (NFTs) of memorabilia from his 1994 blockbuster movie Pulp Fiction.
Sales Speak: Selling Doesn't Cause Buying
January 01, 2022
Selling doesn't cause buying. Buying is an internal business process and that process is fast becoming out of sync with the sales training we often push on our lawyers. Our buyers know more than we do about what is really important inside companies when they are looking to hire outside counsel. We must get better at that lest many of our practices become even more commoditized.
