Courthouse Steps
July 27, 2006
Recently filed cases in entertainment law, straight from the steps of the Los Angeles Superior Court.
<b>Attorney-Fee Ruling</b> Copyright Litigation
July 27, 2006
The U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York denied attorney fees to Fox Entertainment despite a stipulated dismissal with prejudice of a copyright suit against the company.
<b>Counsel Concerns</b>Royalty Contingency-Fee Arrangements
July 27, 2006
The New York Court of Appeals has answered several certified questions sent to it by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit, in a contingency-fee dispute between former Lynyrd Skynyrd guitarist Ed King and his former litigator Lawrence Fox.
Music-Sampling Ruling
July 27, 2006
The U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York denied a motion by MGM Pictures to join Universal Music Group and its affiliated companies as defense parties in a suit against MGM over the alleged use of a sample of The Kinks' 1960s hit song 'You Really Got Me.'
L..A. Practice Notes
July 27, 2006
Big Firms Move Into L.A.<br>Silicon Valley Firms Pursue Hollywood Clients
Cameo Clips
July 27, 2006
Management Contracts/Talent Agencies Act<br>Right of Publicity/Predominate-Use Test
<b>Decision of Note: </b>Artist's 'Assent' Doesn't Convey Renewal Rights
July 27, 2006
The U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York decided that a co-publishing agreement between two companies that the 'mysterious and extravagantly garbed street performer' Louis 'Moondog' Hardin signed in assent didn't convey the renewal rights in Hardin's songs.
<b>Commentary: </b>Proposed Digital-Music Licensing Legislation Presents Problems for Songwriters, Publishers
July 27, 2006
The Section 115 Reform Act of 2006 (SIRA), H.R. 5553, proposes an entirely new structure for the way digital rights will be licensed and online royalties will be collected. The proposed federal legislation to revise Sec. 115 of the Copyright Act may in fact turn out to be the landmark Internet blanket-licensing legislation some claim that it will be. Major record labels, large on-demand streaming services such as AOL Music, Napster and MusicNet, and cellphone companies such as Verizon, believe that the centralized clearance system that SIRA would create streamlines their business model. <br>However, those who represent songwriters as well as large independent publishers and copyright administrators should be concerned that the bill currently pending in the House of Representatives is flawed in several significant ways, and requires substantial amendment in order to better protect the interests of music creators and rights owners.
Protection Against Today's Network Attacks Begs for Unified Approach
June 29, 2006
The increasingly complex security environment is fueling an innovative approach to network security called Unified Threat Management (UTM) that consolidates and integrates all of the major threat protection services into a single device. UTM can save time and money and redirect IT resources back to the business of improving the practice of law.<br>Even as companies are spending billions on sophisticated new security hardware and software, current research indicates that corporate networks are being successfully attacked. Data compromises are common. This article outlines the root causes for computer network vulnerabilities and how law firms can ensure better security and more efficient use of their security-related investments.
Asset Creation, Seclusion And Money Laundering In The Virtual World
June 29, 2006
As more and more people take up residence in the virtual world ' sometimes also called digital or synthetic worlds ' through their participation in one of the many 'Massively Multiplayer Online Role-playing Games' (MMPORGs) currently available online, the potential for monetary abuse and malfeasance also increases. While the original virtual worlds were built by private gaming companies for their subscriber base and were fully controlled by the designers and their all-encompassing End-User Licensing Agreements (EULA), new MMPORGs have emerged that provide individual players with more freedoms ' including the ability to create, seclude or launder wealth. The likelihood of this new technology being co-opted for unscrupulous purposes is great, since historically the same has happened in response to other advances in technology.
