Bit Parts
January 01, 2018
General Counsel for “Ultra Music” Company Can't Be Deposed in Lawsuit by Licensee<br>Magistrate Rules That Statute of Limitations for Copyright Infringement Actions Is No Bar to Discovery Requests<br>New York Federal Court Will Consider Copyright Ownership Claim, But Not Registration Issue, in Dispute Over Play
The Case for Use of Accelerated Case Resolution in TTAB Proceedings
December 01, 2017
This article outlines the available options under the Trademark Trial and Appeal Board's ACR rules and discusses the strategic considerations in determining whether ACR might be advantageous, particularly in light of increasing pressure from clients to reduce costs and expedite the decision-making process.
<i>Zeran v. AOL</i> and Its Inconsistent Legacy
December 01, 2017
<i><b>How the Seminal Fourth Circuit's Ruling Is Applied in Different Circuits</b></i><p>The rule of <i>Zeran</i> has been uniformly applied by every federal circuit court to consider it and by numerous state courts. And it has never been rejected in any precedential opinion. Indeed, it is perhaps a fitting tribute to the viability of <i>Zeran</i> that 20 year later the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit, in its 12th opinion construing the CDA, barely spent even a sentence affirming dismissal of a defamation claim brought against Facebook over user content, pursuant to the CDA and the rule first developed in <i>Zeran</i>.
Wave of Sexual Misconduct Claims Warrants Looks at Confidentiality, Nondisclosure Agreements
December 01, 2017
Companies try to protect their reputations from executives who have "gone wild" by including moral turpitude clauses as a basis to terminate executives for cause under their employment agreements. Similarly, in the context of employment disputes, companies try to protect themselves through the use of non-disclosure, non-disparagement and confidentiality provisions in settlement agreements.
9th Cir. Appellate Arguments; FL Sup. Ct. Ruling on Pre-'72 Recordings
December 01, 2017
Just a few days after the Florida Supreme Court ruled the state's common law doesn't provide pre-1972 sound recordings with rights to public performance royalties, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit heard oral arguments on whether remasterings inject pre-1972 sound recordings with federal copyright protection.
Date Approaches for Start of EU Trade Secrets Directive
December 01, 2017
In 2016, concerns about protecting trade secrets in the European Union resulted in Directive (EU) 2016/943 of the European Parliament and of the Council of June 8, 2016. Directive (EU) 2016/943, which will impact the entertainment industry, seeks to protect undisclosed know-how and business information (trade secrets) against their unlawful acquisition, use and disclosure.
Criminal Probe of Weinstein Role in amfAR Monies
December 01, 2017
The U.S. Attorney's Office for the Southern District of New York is conducting a criminal investigation into transactions connected to The Foundation for AIDS Research (amfAR) that were arranged by embattled film producer Harvey Weinstein, <i>The New York Times</i> reported. The transactions involved $600,000 raised at a May 2015 auction in Cannes on the French Riviera from a pair of fundraising packages arranged by Weinstein.
Employment Attorneys See Business Gains Amid Weinstein Scandal
December 01, 2017
The heightened awareness of sexual harassment in the workplace has resulted in a surge of client calls to plaintiffs attorneys who litigate such claims.Meanwhile, defense attorneys, bracing for more litigation, said they are fielding more calls from corporate clients that want training conferences and advice on how to handle internal complaints and internal investigations.
