Source: https://www.robinskaplan.com/industries/entertainment-and-media
Timestamp: 2019-04-20 23:21:48+00:00

Document:
We know Entertainment and Media. Whether representing athletes, artists, authors, production companies, or others, we level the playing field and win cases that defy “business as usual” in major media company disputes. Our entertainment litigators excel at working with media’s many constituencies—transactional lawyers, business managers, personal managers, and agents, as well as their clients. Our work on both sides of the courtroom sharpens our ability to anticipate the other side’s strategy. This acuity lets us take an entrepreneurial approach to fees and share financial risk when appropriate. Our clients also benefit from our internal financial resources, particularly in disputes around audits, profit participation, and licensing. As entertainment litigators, we leverage our fresh perspective on the industry’s often insular practices to help protect and defend the fruit of our clients’ talent.
Robins Kaplan LLP today filed an Amended Complaint detailing allegations that The Walt Disney Company and Pixar misappropriated the central concept and characters behind the animated hit movie Inside Out.
Ace Arts LLC v. Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC et al.: On behalf of Apple Corps, Limited, won dismissal of $100 million in claims under Sherman Antitrust Act and state business tort law alleging that the defendants had conspired to prevent Ace Arts from distributing a film of The Beatles’ first American concert in Washington, D.C., in 1964.
Celador International, Ltd. v. The Walt Disney Company: Represent Celador International, Ltd. in a dispute over profits from the highly successful television show “Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?” A federal jury awarded Celador, the creator of the show, $270 million in damages after finding that Disney’s subsidiaries, ABC Television, Buena Vista Television, and Valleycrest Productions, had breached their profit-sharing contract with Celador and their duty to deal fairly and in good faith with Celador. On September 27, 2010, the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California awarded $50 million in prejudgment interest to Celador, bringing the total to $320 million in damages. On December 3, 2012, the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals affirmed the entire verdict and awarded the plaintiff its costs on appeal. On February 26, 2013, the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals unanimously denied Disney’s petition for rehearing and review of the $320 million jury verdict and judgment in favor of Celador.
American Society of Composers, Authors & Publishers (ASCAP): Lead trial counsel in litigation against Apple, AT&T Wireless, Clear Channel, CBS Radio, Ericsson Wireless, Microsoft, MobiTV, and Verizon Wireless concerning rates to be paid for copyright licenses for the public performance of music over the Internet and wireless devices; cases resolved before and after trial of the MobiTV matter; continued representation of client in ongoing compliance with settlement agreements and negotiations with new licensees. Among other things, obtained ruling from the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York that use of previews by wireless carriers to sell ringtones and ringback tones was not a fair use under copyright law.
Identity Arts v. Best Buy; Gee Jeffery & Partners v. AMC, Best Buy & Sprint: Obtained dismissal of copyright-infringement claims asserted against clients Best Buy and AMC movie theaters. In the related actions, plaintiffs sued alleging copyright infringement based on our clients’ courtesy movie trailer encouraging movie patrons to turn off their cell phones. Though our clients’ trailers and the copyrighted work both used the idea of a faux movie trailer interrupted by a ringing cell phone, our successful defense rested on the core copyright premise that copyright protects only the specific expression of an idea and not the idea itself. The court also awarded Best Buy fees and costs in the amount of $108,245.
Speciale v. Richardson: Represented playwright in defense of a copyright dispute concerning rights in a play based on historical incidents; successfully settled while motion to dismiss was pending.
American Society of Journalists & Authors (ASJA): Representing client in multiple actions in the Second Circuit Court of Appeals relating to the copyright and fair-use issues pertaining to the “Google Books” project, including the filing of amicus briefs in the The Author’s Guild v. Google and The Author’s Guild v. Hathitrust matters.
Price v. Atlantic Records, Kane Beatz, et al.: Represented Kane Beatz, composer and producer of hit record Bottoms Up, in connection with copyright and breach-of-contract claims from composer.
A copyright dispute surrounding the hit song "Blurred Lines" could have significant consequences for the music industry.
Filing Declaratory Judgment Actions in Trademark Case: When is a Cloud Over Your 'Empire' Large Enough to File Suit?
The authors discuss Fox’s preemptive strike against Empire Distribution in light of court precedents on declaratory judgments in trademark disputes.
Key appellate best practices (disguised as New Year’s resolutions) from Eric Magnuson, former Chief Justice of the Minnesota Supreme Court.

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