COVID-19 and Force Majeure Clauses
September 01, 2020
The COVID-19 outbreak has wreaked havoc on the entertainment industry. Productions have been halted and distribution channels disrupted. In the midst of this pandemic, one big question for contracting parties is whether force majeure will excuse or postpone a party's obligations without liability.
FL Federal Court Rules 'Despacito' Doesn't Infringe on 'Despasito'
September 01, 2020
Federal Judge Kathleen Williams recently analyzed the hit song "Despacito" in a copyright lawsuit in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida, when she found its writers had not copied an earlier Spanish song with the same name.
Damages In Trademark Infringement Litigations
September 01, 2020
During a time when online marketing, virtual shopping and electronic communication are more widely used than ever, it is critically important for entertainment industry businesses to be highly aware of how they are using trademarks, the scope of a trademark owner's rights and the consequences of infringing them.
Ticket Refund Suits Against StubHub to Get MDL Treatment
September 01, 2020
Online ticket reseller StubHub faces lawsuits over allegedly unrefunded event tickets in California, after a federal judicial panel ordered that similar cases from jurisdictions in multiple states be coordinated.
FIFA Decision Confirms Long Arm of Honest Services Fraud
September 01, 2020
United States v. Napout
The U.S. government's lead role in the prosecution of corruption within the Zurich-based FIFA may be a paradigmatic example of U.S. law enforcement acting as the world's policeman. If corruption is based on foreign executives violating their duties of loyalty to foreign private entities, how does that translate into a violation of U.S. criminal law? Does it matter that the conduct in which the foreign executive engaged — commercial bribery — may not be illegal under the law of the executive's home country?
Players on the Move
September 01, 2020
A look at moves among attorneys, law firms, companies and other players in entertainment law.
Bit Parts
September 01, 2020
Film Clips Included in Talent's Acting Reel Are a Copyright Fair Use
Ninth Circuit Finds Judd/Weinstein Meeting Within Scope of California Sexual Harassment Statute
Personal Manager's Lawsuit in New York Against Former In-House Counsel Can Move Forward
Man of La Mancha Revival Dispute Involves Whether Attorney/Client Relationship Arose
August 01, 2020
A thorny concern for lawyers is whether — and if so, when — an attorney/client relationship has been formed with a party with whom the lawyer has entered into a business arrangement. Current litigation over an agreement involving theatrical production rights to the Tony Award-winning musical Man of La Mancha offers some perspective on the issue.
How COVID-19 Has Impacted Broadway Productions
August 01, 2020
While the theaters of Broadway remain dark, the New York theater community has been left to grapple with challenging legal issues relating to governmental directives, contracts, insurance coverage, refunds, presenting live and prerecorded content on the Internet, and what health and safety measures will be needed once the theaters can reopen.
