Commercial Law & Contracts, Intellectual Property, Art, Entertainment & Sports Law

Foul play over US trademark

by Edward Lee, Douglas N. Masters | Loeb & Loeb LLP on 5/15/2013

The Washington Redskins name has attracted fierce debate over the years. Edward Lee and Douglas Masters, attorneys at Loeb & Loeb, discuss the latest attempt to revoke the mark - US trademark law prohibits the...more

Who Owns the Rights to “To Kill a Mockingbird”?

by Aaron Kase | Lawyers.com on 5/15/2013

Harper Lee only wrote one book in her life, but what a book. Her classic novel “To Kill a Mockingbird,” published in 1960, spins the tale of a small town attorney who tries to stand up against the forces of racial injustice....more

Cars Lawsuit Runs Out of Gas

by BakerHostetler on 5/9/2013

The United States Supreme Court recently brought final resolution to Mandeville-Anthony v. Walt Disney Co., a dispute over the ownership of Disney and Pixar’s animated movies “Cars” and “Cars 2,” and the spin-off television...more

Checklist: Reviewing Stock Library Content Licenses

by Bob Tarantino | Heenan Blaikie LLP on 5/9/2013

When a film or television producer wants to make use of content supplied by a "stock" library (such as photographs, film clips or music), it is necessary for their legal counsel to review the license agreement in order to...more

IRS Taking Tough Stand On Benefits And Burdens Of Ownership In Recent Section 199 ILM And Tax Court Cases

by Todd Reinstein | Pepper Hamilton LLP on 5/8/2013

On April 1, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) released ILM 201313020 (ILM) in response to an IRS Appeals Division request. It concludes that planning and development activities undertaken by a publisher of books and other...more

Spider-Man Lives to Web-Sling (and Sing) Another Day Following Settlement of Copyright Suit

by Anthony Rufo | Foley Hoag LLP - Trademark, Copyright &... on 5/3/2013

After infamously departing (i.e., being fired) from the nascent production of the Broadway musical Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark, acclaimed stage and screen director Julie Taymor filed suit against the show’s producers. As...more

Three Point Shot - April 2013

by Proskauer Rose LLP on 4/30/2013

The (Gold) Gloves Are Off - Cincinnati Reds second baseman Brandon Phillips has a lot to say. He's well-known for being outspoken, and he's a prolific tweeter on his @DatDudeBP account, which boasts over 650,000...more

Copyright Reversions And Loan-Out Corporations

by Bob Tarantino | Heenan Blaikie LLP on 4/23/2013

A few weeks back, I had the opportunity to speak at an Ontario Bar Association Entertainment, Media & Communications Law Section session on the topic of copyright reversionary interests. During the Q&A portion of the...more

Federal Court Says No to “Used” Digital Music Marketplace

by Daniel Zlatnik | Morrison Foerster - Social Media on 4/17/2013

Digital music has come a long way since the era of widespread unauthorized sharing, with digital music sales estimated to be approaching $6 billion worldwide. As this market grows, a natural question is whether there can be a...more

Capital Records v. ReDigi, Inc.: New York District Court Determines that First Sale Doctrine does NOT apply to Digital Media. Did...

by Fuerst Ittleman David & Joseph, PL on 4/12/2013

On March 30, 2013, only 11 days after the United States Supreme Court’s decision in Kirtsaeng v. Wiley to extend the first sale doctrine to foreign made goods, a United States District Court in the Southern District of New...more

Southern District of New York Holds Copyright First Sale Doctrine Does Not Apply to Digital Music Files; Resale of Digital Music...

by Ropes & Gray LLP on 4/10/2013

In Capital Records, LLC v. ReDigi Inc., 12 Civ. 95, (Mar. 30, 2013) (“Capital Records v. ReDigi”) Judge Sullivan of the Southern District of New York held that the copyright “first sale doctrine is limited to ‘material...more

A Supreme Court Win for U.S. Consumers

by Fuerst Ittleman David & Joseph, PL on 3/26/2013

In a 6 to 3 decision handed down on March 19, 2013, the United States Supreme Court chalked up a rare victory for consumers over text book publishers, record labels, and others who sought to restrain the resale of copyrighted...more

Licenses For Public Performance Of Music At "Live Events" In Canada

by Bob Tarantino | Heenan Blaikie LLP on 3/25/2013

SOCAN (the Canadian public performance rights collective) recently announced that in 2012 they paid over $20 million in royalties from "concerts and live entertainment". That figure represented a 14% increase year-over-year....more

IP/Entertainment Law Weekly Case Update for Motion Picture Studios and Television Networks -- March 7, 2013

by Jonathan Zavin | Loeb & Loeb LLP on 3/8/2013

In This Issue: - Wild v. NBC Universal: Ninth Circuit affirms dismissal of copyright infringement claim without leave to amend, finding no substantial similarity between plaintiff’s graphic novel and NBC’s...more

You're Getting Sued For What? An E&O Odyssey (Pt 10)

by Bob Tarantino | Heenan Blaikie LLP on 3/7/2013

This post is part of an occasional series highlighting the type of risks which film and TV producers face and which are supposed to be covered by E&O insurance. The series aims to demonstrate that what might seem to a...more

New Happy Birthday Song, Copyright-Free [Video]

by Bloomberg Law on 2/19/2013

That's "It's your Birthday!" by Monk Turner and Fascinoma. If New Jersey radio station WFMU and the Free Music Archive have their way, it will soon replace the most recognized song in the English language, "Happy Birthday...more

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Commercial Law & Contracts › Intellectual Property › Art, Entertainment & Sports Law

Foul play over US trademark

Who Owns the Rights to “To Kill a Mockingbird”?

Cars Lawsuit Runs Out of Gas

Checklist: Reviewing Stock Library Content Licenses

IRS Taking Tough Stand On Benefits And Burdens Of Ownership In Recent Section 199 ILM And Tax Court Cases

Spider-Man Lives to Web-Sling (and Sing) Another Day Following Settlement of Copyright Suit

Three Point Shot - April 2013

Copyright Reversions And Loan-Out Corporations

Federal Court Says No to “Used” Digital Music Marketplace

Capital Records v. ReDigi, Inc.: New York District Court Determines that First Sale Doctrine does NOT apply to Digital Media. Did...

Southern District of New York Holds Copyright First Sale Doctrine Does Not Apply to Digital Music Files; Resale of Digital Music...

A Supreme Court Win for U.S. Consumers

Licenses For Public Performance Of Music At "Live Events" In Canada

IP/Entertainment Law Weekly Case Update for Motion Picture Studios and Television Networks -- March 7, 2013

You're Getting Sued For What? An E&O Odyssey (Pt 10)

New Happy Birthday Song, Copyright-Free [Video]

2012 Media Year in Review Media Law Bulletin - January 2013

A Covenant Not to Sue May Avoid Invalidity Claims

Just Moot It: Supreme Court in Already v. Nike Clarifies When a Covenant Not to Sue Can Kill a Declaratory Judgment Case

Batmobile: The Copyright Rises

Florida Long-Arm Jurisdiction, Case Law Update – Universal Music Venezuela v. Montaner

Don’t Lose Your Trademark When Licensing It (…or How Not to “Run Naked”)

IP/Entertainment Law Weekly Case Update for Motion Picture Studios and Television Networks - January 4, 2013

What Can the NHL Lockout Teach Us About Mediating Non-Compete and Trade Secret Disputes?

What’s The Big Idea? Protecting Employer-Owned Intellectual Property

New Happy Birthday Song, Copyright-Free [Video]

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