Bit Parts
December 31, 2015
Fair Use of Abbott and Costello "Who's on First?" Comedy Routine<br>Voice Sample in Beyonc' Hit Didn't Violate Plaintiff's Right of Publicity
Navigating Litigation Conflicts in Troubled Corporations
December 31, 2015
When a corporation finds itself in troubled financial waters, litigation by shareholders and creditors often follows. Increasingly, such litigation takes the form of a class action suit commenced against the company, followed closely by a derivative action against the directors and officers. This may lead to significant ethics challenges for the attorneys involved.
Investigations in Developing Countries
December 31, 2015
Conducting an internal investigation into questionable company conduct is universally a stressful experience. Imagine having to handle all that in a remote location, thousands of miles and multiple time zones away, in a developing part of the world with logistical and infrastructure challenges, and with cultural, political and legal systems that differ markedly from those in the United States.
Does Liability Insurance Cover Fantasy Sports Disputes?
December 31, 2015
It used to be that fantasy sports had to be a season-long commitment. But some people (either on their own or at the urging of their significant others) did not want to take on that type of time commitment or incur the cost of competing in a full-season league. Enter daily fantasy sports (DFS), which has given sports fans a more efficient outlet to achieve the fantasy adrenaline rush .
Ins and Outs of Group Registration Of Photographs
December 31, 2015
An important part of a professional photographer's life, and that of a photographer's attorney, is protecting the intellectual property produced by that photographer. Many photographers properly compile photographs from unrelated sources and register the photographs in an effort to protect their property rights in the images. Group registration of those images has enabled a much more efficient registration process, but does registration provide the statutory damage protections one might assume should be available?
Update on NY AG's Suits Against Daily Fantasy Sports Cos.
December 29, 2015
In mid-December, Manhattan Supreme Court Justice Manuel Mendez granted N.Y. Attorney General Eric Schneiderman's motion to halt daily fantasy sports (DFS) sites DraftKings and FanDuel from doing business in the state.
No Sliding Scale Test for Access To Copyright
December 29, 2015
The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit declined to adopt a 'sliding scale' test for determining whether one song was strikingly similar to the other in a copyright infringement suit.
Controversy from Talent Lawyer's Article on JAMS
November 30, 2015
Arbitration provider JAMS is staying neutral, sort of, on an entertainment litigator's claim that it favors big studios in arbitrations and mediations. The claim, made by Bird Marella partner Ronald Nessim in a law review this summer, is essentially that JAMS has a lock on studio business, with the overwhelming majority of studio contracts reviewed by Nessim naming JAMS as the dispute resolution provider.
Players' War Against Online Games They Use
November 30, 2015
The world of free online video games is a big business, including for some law firms. The games derive much of their revenue from a tiny sliver of users who pay real-world money for virtual currency to hasten their advancement or refill their pretend coffers. Plaintiffs in the string of suits claim that the games run afoul of various states' laws by running thinly veiled gambling enterprises.
Counsel Concerns
November 30, 2015
Entertainment Client Can't Recoup Costs of Winning Appeal over Fee Dispute with Lavely & Singer Law Firm
