THE CASE OF DONALD TRUMP v. CYRUS VANCE, Jr. and MAZARS USA Winston Churchill wrote a biography of his ancestor John Churchill, who is better known as the Duke of Marlborough. Describing the period of conflict spanning the demise of Cromwell’s government and the...
“The Most Interesting Man in the World” Gets His Counterclaim Tossed
Last fall, Jonathan Goldsmith, known as the “most interesting man in the world” of Dos Equis advertisement fame, was sued for breach of contract by his former talent agency after allegedly withholding commissions owed to the agency. Goldsmith, who began portraying the...
‘Big Bang Theory’ Producers Sued in “Soft Kitty” Copyright Case
Producers of the hit TV show The Big Bang Theory got a legal ‘bazinga’ in a new lawsuit contesting the show’s allegedly unauthorized use of nursery rhyme lyrics written eight decades ago by a New Hampshire school teacher. The lawsuit, filed in New York federal court...
Big Verdict for Funk Legend Sly Stone Puts Royalties in the Spotlight
Rock and Roll Hall of Famer Sly Stone has been awarded $5 million by a Los Angeles jury in a breach of contract case claiming that Stone’s former manager and business partners cheated Stone out of more than a decade’s worth of royalties. Stone is best known as...
Could Rappers Face Jail Time Over Lyrics?
San Diego-based rapper Tiny Doo, whose real name is Brandon Duncan, faces prosecution on nine counts of alleged criminal street gang conspiracy, which collectively carry a sentence of 25 years to life in prison. The charges arise from a rash of shootings in California...
Does Fictional Hacking Software Used by Catwoman in The Dark Knight Rises Infringe on a Real-Life Trademark?
The U.S. Court of Appeals for the 7th Circuit recently heard the appeal of a trademark infringement suit arising out of Christopher Nolan’s 2012 blockbuster film The Dark Knight Rises, the latest installment of films featuring Gotham City’s Caped Crusader known as...
Are You Pirating Music Without Realizing It?
To most people, music piracy means illegally streaming or downloading a copyrighted work without payment to its creator. In other words, there is a realization that each and every illegal download of a song deprives the creator of payments he or she would have...
360 Deals: It Depends on How You Splice Them
Some things never change. It is true that the American music industry looks nothing like it did at the dawn of the new millennium, but major industry executives (and smaller, independent players) still have one central goal when signing new talent: high yield with low...
Cautionary Tale: When Contemplating Live Music at Your Venue, Get a License
Last summer, a small band performed at a bar called 69 Taps in Medina, Ohio, near Cleveland. That evening, the band covered a number of popular songs that the mostly middle-aged audience had grown up listening to. The bar had not asked for a set list, nor had the band...
Is an Unsigned Contract Still Enforceable?
Actions must speak louder than unsigned contract, says Virginia Federal Court. The failure to obtain a fully signed agreement is not always fatal to a breach of contract claim. However, a recent Virginia federal court case reminds us of the need to ensure signed...