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Entertainment, Sports, & Media Law

Is the President Absolutely Immune From A State Grand Jury Subpoena?

by John W. Polk | May 8, 2020 | Entertainment, Sports, & Media Law

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 restoration of Charles II to…

“The Most Interesting Man in the World” Gets His Counterclaim Tossed

On Behalf of Berenzweig Leonard, LLP | May 16, 2016 | Business Litigation , Entertainment, Sports, & Media Law

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…

‘Big Bang Theory’ Producers Sued in “Soft Kitty” Copyright Case

On Behalf of Berenzweig Leonard, LLP | December 30, 2015 | Entertainment, Sports, & Media Law , Intellectual Property

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…

Big Verdict for Funk Legend Sly Stone Puts Royalties in the Spotlight

On Behalf of Berenzweig Leonard, LLP | January 30, 2015 | Entertainment, Sports, & Media Law

  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…

Could Rappers Face Jail Time Over Lyrics?

On Behalf of Berenzweig Leonard, LLP | January 23, 2015 | Entertainment, Sports, & Media Law

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…

Does Fictional Hacking Software Used by Catwoman in The Dark Knight Rises Infringe on a Real-Life Trademark?

On Behalf of Berenzweig Leonard, LLP | August 21, 2014 | Entertainment, Sports, & Media Law , Intellectual Property

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…

Are You Pirating Music Without Realizing It?

On Behalf of Berenzweig Leonard, LLP | April 17, 2014 | Entertainment, Sports, & Media Law , Intellectual Property

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 otherwise received through legitimate…

360 Deals: It Depends on How You Splice Them

On Behalf of Berenzweig Leonard, LLP | April 10, 2014 | Entertainment, Sports, & Media Law

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 risk. With traditional streams…

Cautionary Tale: When Contemplating Live Music at Your Venue, Get a License

On Behalf of Berenzweig Leonard, LLP | April 8, 2014 | Entertainment, Sports, & Media Law , Intellectual Property

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?

On Behalf of Berenzweig Leonard, LLP | May 29, 2013 | Entertainment, Sports, & Media Law

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 written agreements are in…