Upcoming Events
August 27, 2008
Texas Bar 18th Annual Entertainment Law Institute: Legal and Business Aspects of Film, Music, Sports and Digital Media, Austin, Oct. 2-3. For further information: 800-204-2222 Ext. 1574 or 512-427-1574; www.TexasBarCLE.com. American Bar Association Annual Forum on the Entertainment and Sports Industries 2008 Annual Meeting, Los Angeles, Oct. 16-18. For further information: 312-988-5658; www.abanet.org/forums/entsports.…
IRS Regulations For Song Sales Tax Treatment
August 27, 2008
The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) has issued proposed and temporary regulations specifying the time and manner for electing to treat the sale or exchange of "self-created" musical compositions or copyrights as the sale or the exchange of a capital asset resulting in a potential capital gain.
Advances to Talent
August 27, 2008
In yet another example of the lunacy of the tax laws as they apply to compensation for personal services, it is possible that the advance payment made to talent might be subject to a 40% penalty ' 20% under Sec. 409A of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (IRC), and 20% under the laws of those states, such as California, that have conformed to Sec. 409A. This could push the effective marginal tax rate on the advance to over 80%. Needless to say, this result is disastrous, and extreme care must be taken not to run afoul of the rules.
Revised PhRMA Code Provides a New Roadmap
August 27, 2008
Providing physicians with up-to-date, accurate information about the medicines they prescribe clearly improves patient care and advances health care in general. Nonetheless, the public health need for informed and educated HCPs may, at times, create tension with the pharmaceutical industry's perceived drive for profits.
Protecting Intellectual Property in a 'Flat' World
July 30, 2008
Just as airplanes made the world feel smaller geographically, globalization and the Internet have made it feel smaller economically. The Internet has so fundamentally changed the way people do business that it is difficult to remember the days, not too long ago, when similar trademarks could co-exist on similar products and services (if not always happily) in different regions of the country.
Bit Parts
July 30, 2008
Copyright Renewal Rights/Unpublished Treatment<br>Right-of-Publicity/Newsworthiness and Incidental-Use Exceptions<br>Right-of-Publicity/Press Releases
Cameo Clips
July 30, 2008
COPYRIGHT PREEMPTION/MISAPPROPRIATION CLAIM<br>COPYRIGHT TERMINATION/SUBSEQUENT ASSIGNMENT
Virtual Worlds Attract Lawyers
July 30, 2008
'Virtual Law,' as specialists call it, is not your father's law. And according to some aspiring lawyers, it is the next big thing. Of the 50 or so tech-savvy lawyers around the country conversant in the language of orcs, avatars and toons.
