Source: https://www.quinnemanuel.com/practice-areas/media-and-entertainment-litigation/
Timestamp: 2019-04-25 14:04:30+00:00

Document:
With offices in the world’s major entertainment and media centers, including Los Angeles, New York, Silicon Valley, London, Paris, Hong Kong, and Sydney, we have extensive expertise litigating all types of industry disputes. We represent motion picture studios, television networks, music broadcasters, financiers, distributors, publishers, video game developers and publishers, sports teams and leagues, talent, and talent agencies in their most important disputes.
The entertainment and media industries are governed by idiosyncratic rules and precedents developed over decades. At the same time, the rapid growth of new technologies and entrants into the industries – such as video gaming and social media – has generated novel legal issues. Experience in the industries and innovative strategies are critical to success. Our lawyers have tried and arbitrated many high stakes cases involving claims in diverse, but often related, areas such as breach of contract, copyright, trademark, patent, trade secrets, fraud, idea theft, and unfair competition.
John B. Quinn has represented entertainment and media clients in dozens of high profile cases and has served for over 30 years as General Counsel of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.
Kathleen Sullivan is the former Dean of Stanford Law School, First Amendment scholar, nationally renowned appellate advocate, and head of the firm’s appellate practice group. She regularly handles appeals of key entertainment and media issues.
Robert Raskopf co-chairs the firm’s National Media & Entertainment Practice and is a leader of the sports, entertainment, and media bars in New York.
Claude Stern represents leading software developers, video game publishers, and other media clients in all forms of intellectual property litigation.
Gary Gans co-chairs the firm’s National Media & Entertainment Practice and is an expert in motion picture finance, production and distribution disputes, as well as in copyright and other intellectual property cases.
Jeff McFarland co-chairs the firm’s National Media & Entertainment Practice. He represents production companies, television networks, talent agencies, actors/producers/directors, computer hardware manufacturers, and consumer electronics companies in litigation around the country.
Carey Ramos co-chairs the firm’s National Media & Entertainment Practice. He represents prominent clients in widely publicized patent, copyright, trademark and trade secret actions involving music, motion pictures, theatre and fashion/luxury products.
Robert Schwartz is a nationally recognized advocate who represents film, television, music, video game and broadcast industry clients, on both the studio/distributor side and the talent side, in a wide array of subject areas.
Bruce Van Dalsem has tried and resolved major disputes for studios, producers, and performing artists in the film, television, music and finance businesses.
Michael Williams has represented media clients in trademark, copyright, patent, antitrust and other commercial litigation.
Alex Spiro represents A-list entertainers and media personalities and handles crisis intervention for entertainment and media companies.
Outside the United States, Kami Haeri (Paris) has represented Warner Bros. in connection with its French operations. Trevor Soames (Brussels) has represented a major Hollywood studio as well as the Motion Picture Association of America in connection with European Commission investigations and related litigation. Stephen Mavroghenis (Brussels) has represented major Hollywood studios and telecommunications companies in European Commission investigations, among other matters. Ted Greeno (London) has represented Sky Television in intellectual property, media and other disputes over many years. John Rhie (Hong Kong) has represented media and entertainment companies based in Asia such as CJ E&M and Spackman Group.
Our partners are regularly recognized by trade publications and guides as leaders in the field. This includes Band 1 recognition by Chambers & Partners in the media and entertainment litigation space, the Hollywood Reporter’s annual “Power Lawyers”/Top 100 rankings, Variety’s annual “Legal Impact” listing, “Entertainment Litigator of the Year” recognition, the “Game Changer of the Year” award by The Recorder legal newspaper for innovative legal strategies in copyright litigation, and “Lawyer of the Week” recognition by The American Lawyer magazine.
The Hollywood Reporter also identified two Quinn Emanuel cases, our representation of TVEyes and our representation of the Washington Redskins, to its list of “8 Cases That Would Impact Entertainment and Media” in the Supreme Court.
Members of our group are frequent authors and presenters at bar associations and professional symposia on media industry issues. One of our partners is the author of four chapters in the 2011 Oxford University Press treatise Entertainment Litigation and the 2014 and 2017 revisions, Entertainment Law & Litigation: Copyright (direct infringement), Copyright (secondary liability), Law Of Ideas/Contracts/Credit, and Trademark & Unfair Competition.
Locke and Perrine v. Sega of America, Inc. and Gearbox Software LLC (N.D. Cal.): Through separate teams, successfully defended video game publisher Sega and video game developer Gearbox Studios in a consumer class action claiming that the Aliens: Colonial Marines video game’s features and customer play experience were overstated in advertising and promotion. Defeated class certification and convinced plaintiffs to dismiss lawsuit.
Huizenga v. Time Warner Entertainment Co. (L.A.S.C.): Defended Warner Bros. against claim that former L.A. Raiders team physician and writer of book “You’re Okay, It’s Just A Bruise” that he was entitled to screen credit on the Oliver Stone-directed motion picture Any Given Sunday.
Newsom v. Columbia Pictures Industries, Inc., (C.D. Cal.): Defended Sony Pictures against claim that a writer of an early screenplay based on Spider-Man comic books was entitled to screen credit on 2001 motion picture.
Rezec, et al. v. Sony Pictures Entertainment (L.A.S.C); Morris v. Sony Corp. of America (Palm Beach County, Florida); Cohen v. Sony Pictures Entertainment (Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania); Consumer Justice Center, et al. v. Sony Pictures Entertainment (L.A.S.C.): Represented Sony Pictures in false advertising/unfair business practice class actions arising from the use of endorsements in movie ads by film critic who did not work for indicated publication. We also defended Sony in connection with several related state attorneys general investigations and proceedings.
Brian Rector, et al. v. Sony Corp. of America, et al. (L.A.S.C.): Prevailed on anti-SLAPP motion to dismiss class-action claims against Sony Pictures asserting that motion picture studios falsely advertised motion pictures by using critic endorsements without disclosing provision of preview screenings, “press junkets,” and other supposed consideration. Obtained six-figure award of attorneys’ fees.
Golden Boy Promotions LLC, et al. v. Alan Haymon, et al. (C.D. Cal.): Successfully represented Haymon Sports and its CEO, Alan Haymon, in an antitrust action by Oscar De La Hoya and Golden Boy Promotions alleging that Haymon attempted to monopolize the market for promotion of championship-caliber boxers.
Best Buy, Inc. v. DirecTV (Los Angeles Super. Ct.; Cal. Ct. App.): Successfully represented DIRECTV on antitrust claims under the Cartwright Act brought by a retailer alleging that DIRECTV entered into a horizontal conspiracy with other retailers.
Garrison v. Warner Bros., et al. (C.D. Cal.): Successfully represented Warner Bros. and the other motion picture studios against class action brought by thousands of high-level employees who claimed their compensation was “unconscionably” low and the product of an antitrust conspiracy among the industry’s major employers. Designated lead counsel after class certified. Obtained decertification and settled case on eve of hearing on motion for summary judgment.
Lipschutz v. AT&T, et al. (C.D. Cal.): Successfully represented Time Warner Cable in nationwide, putative consumer antitrust class action against country’s cable television multiple system operators and affiliated ISPs. After prevailing on motion for class certification, settled case on terms favorable to clients.
In re Compact Disc Antitrust Litigation; Retzlaff v. BMG, et al (California Judicial Council Coordination Proceeding No. 4123): Represented Warner Music Group in series of coordinated class actions over advertising and pricing issues for compact discs.
Danjaq LLC v. Sony Pictures Entertainment (C.D. Cal): Obtained a preliminary injunction in favor of the producer and distributor of the James Bond motion pictures, affirmed on appeal, barring a competitor studio from creating a competing series of James Bond films.
Film Finances, Inc. v. Fortis Mediacom Finance, S.A. (Arbitral panel of Independent Film & Television Alliance): Successfully represented Film Finances in an arbitration against Fortis Bank over the financing of Spike Lee’s film Miracle of St. Anna.
Romantics v. Activision Publishing, Inc. (E.D. Mich. 2008): Successfully represented Activision in a lawsuit seeking to enjoin sales of its “Guitar Hero” videogame by members of the ‘80s rock band The Romantics.
21st Century Film Corp. v. Carolco Pictures, Inc.; Carolco Pictures, Inc., v. CPT Holdings, Inc.; Carolco Pictures, Inc. v. Viacom International, Inc; Carolco Pictures Inc. and Carolco Studios, Inc., et al. (Chapter 11 proceedings); Marvel Entertainment Group v. Columbia TriStar Home Video; Marvel Entertainment Group v. Viacom International, Inc.; Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios Inc. v. Marvel Entertainment, Viacom International, Inc., Columbia Tri-Star Home Video; John J. Gibbons, Chapter 11 Trustee for Marvel Entertainment Group, Inc. v. Viacom International, Inc., CPT Holdings, MGM Entertainment, et al. (D. Del.): Following extensive motion practice, a partial settlement, and trials in California and Delaware state and federal courts over five-year period, successfully represented Sony Pictures in multiparty disputes over control of Spider-Man comic book characters. From these cases, Sony obtained the rights to create, produce, and distribute Spider-Man motion pictures and merchandise.
Franz Wynans Fine Art Inc. v. The Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts, Inc. (British Columbia Supreme Court): Obtained a dismissal of a lawsuit against The Andy Warhol Foundation over ownership of Warhol works arising from a contract Andy Warhol entered into with an art publisher.
Comerica Bank v. Intertainment Licensing GmbH, et al. (Arbitration): Successfully defended Film Finances, Inc. in an arbitration involving claims of fraud in the budgets of a slate of motion pictures.
GK Films LLC v. Aurelius Films Inc. (Arbitration): Won an arbitration award for GK Films LLC, the producer of Argo, The Departed, and Hugo, in an action to enforce its rights in a motion picture.
Warner Bros. (France): Successfully represented Warner Bros. in a claim relating to the distribution in France of movie picture titled “Captain Harlock” that resulted in a cost-free settlement to our client.
ITV Group v. STV Group (Commercial Court – UK): Successfully represented the ITV Group companies in Commercial Court proceedings against the STV Group relating to the broadcast and sponsorship of network programs.
MGM Studios Inc., et al. v. Grokster, Inc., et al., 545 U.S. 913 (2005): Successfully represented motion picture studio and record company plaintiffs in copyright infringement suit against Grokster, Morpheus, and Kazaa networks, culminating in landmark 9–0 United States Supreme Court decision adopting “active inducement” theory of contributory copyright infringement.
Eldred v. Ashcroft, 537 U.S. 186 (2003): Represented bipartisan leadership of Congress before the United States Supreme Court against constitutional challenges to Congress’s 1998 adoption of a twenty-year extension to the term of copyright.
Capitol Records, LLC v. Vimeo, LLC (S.D.N.Y. and Second Circuit): Successfully represented Vimeo in a copyright infringement action filed by the major record labels concerning user-uploaded videos that contained allegedly infringing music. The Second Circuit held that: (1) the Digital Millennium Copyright Act safe harbor applies to pre-1972 sound recordings; and (2) mere awareness of the presence of a “famous” song in a video cannot confer “red flag” knowledge of infringement.
Benay v. Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. (C.D. Cal and 9th Cir.): Successfully represented Warner Bros. and the producers, writers, and director of the motion picture “The Last Samurai” in a copyright infringement and breach of implied-in-fact contract (idea submission) action alleging that they had used material written by the plaintiffs to write and produce the film.
ABS Entertainment, et al. v. CBS and CBS Broadcasting (C.D. Cal. and S.D.N.Y.): Representing radio broadcasters CBS Radio and Entercom in putative class actions in alleging “performance right” to sound recordings created before 1972. Invoked novel “remastering” theory to shield clients from liability.
Danjaq LLC and Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios Inc. v. Universal City Studios and Aaron Berg (C.D. Cal.): Successfully represented plaintiff producers and distributors of James Bond motion pictures in copyright infringement lawsuit against studio and screenwriter behind knock-off screenplay.
Buchbinder v. Paramount Pictures Corp. et al (C.D. Cal.): Successfully represented Paramount Pictures, DreamWorks, and Ben Stiller in an action in which plaintiffs contended that the movie “Tropic Thunder” infringed their 2000 screenplay.
Viacom International, Inc. v. YouTube Inc.(S.D.N.Y.): Successfully represented YouTube in an action brought by Viacom claiming that YouTube did not exercise sufficient care in policing its web service to claim protection of the Digital Millennium Copyright Act safe harbor provisions.
GDC Technology v. Dolby Laboratories (C.D. Cal.): Successfully represented GDC Technology, seller of digital theater systems, in copyright dispute over software used to control technology and in claims for contract interference.
Confidential Video Game Dispute: Successfully represented developers of two bestselling video game franchises in disputes with a major publisher and rival. The dispute involved patents, trade secrets, copyrights, trademarks, and royalty calculations. After the first of two trials, the matter settled on terms favorable to the client.
Gibson Guitar Corporation v. Amazon.com, Inc., Gamestop Corporation, Toys-R-Us Inc., Wal-Mart Stores, Inc., Target Corporation, Kmart Corporation, Sears Roebuck & Co, Harmonix Music Systems, Inc., Viacom International Inc., and Electronic Arts Inc. (M.D. Tenn.): Represented game developer, publisher, and retailers in patent infringement action filed by the famous guitar maker, which asserted that its patents allegedly drive the technology behind the multibillion-dollar Guitar Hero and Rock Band video game franchises. Obtained stay of proceedings pending PTO patent reexamination, during which the PTO narrowed the claims and thereby rendered plaintiff’s case unwinnable.
Time Warner Entertainment Co., Home Box Office, Warner Bros., Warner Bros. Television, Turner Broadcasting System, Inc., New Line Cinema Corp., and The WB Television Network Partners L.P. v. ReplayTV, Inc. (C.D. Cal.): Represented plaintiff content and media companies in a copyright infringement action against the maker of the ReplayTV DVR, based on inclusion of commercial-skipping, librarying, and file sharing functions. Matter settled on terms favorable to clients.
Frederick Hart and National Cathedral Foundation v. Warner Bros. (E.D. Va.): Represented Warner Bros. in copyright and trademark suit brought by sculptor and Washington’s National Cathedral over set in the movie The Devil’s Advocate infringed sculpture above the Cathedral’s entrance.
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios Inc., Disney Enterprises, Inc., Twentieth Century Fox Film Corp., Columbia Pictures, Inc., Columbia Pictures Television, Inc., TriStar Pictures, Inc., Paramount Pictures Corp., Universal City Studios, Inc., and Time Warner Entertainment Co. v. RecordTV.com and David Simon (C.D. Cal.): Obtained permanent injunction for plaintiffs (all of the major motion picture studios) against defendants’ Internet site, which allowed users to copy and display over the Internet plaintiffs’ copyrighted movies and television shows.
Leicester v. Warner Bros., 232 F.3d 1212 (9th Cir. 2000): Prevailed at trial and on appeal for defendants on copyright and trademark claims filed by sculptor of Zanja Madre public art installation in downtown Los Angeles based on unauthorized photography of plaintiff’s work in scenes of movie Batman Forever and use on film-related merchandise.
The New Young Americans, Inc. v. Columbia Pictures Television, Inc. and The WB Television Network, et al. (C.D. Cal.): Defended copyright and trademark claims filed by music group against Columbia Pictures Television and the WB TV Network over television series titled The Young Americans.
UM Corporation v. Tsuburaya Productions Co. Ltd. (C.D. Cal.): Won a jury trial for Japanese entertainment company Tsuburaya Productions Co., Ltd. in a dispute over rights to Tsuburaya’s iconic “Ultraman” superhero character.
Zynga Game Network v. Kyle McEachern (N.D. Cal.): Represented Zynga against a former employee and contractor who hacked Zynga’s servers. Obtained a permanent injunction and award of damages.
Perfect 10 v. Yandex N.V. et al (N.D. Cal.): Successfully represented Yandex N.V., Yandex Inc. and Yandex LLC, owners of the largest search engine in Russia and other Eastern European markets, over allegations the search engine contributed to infringements of Perfect 10’s copyrights by providing links and hosting thumbnails of allegedly-infringing images.
Lewin v. The Richard Avedon Foundation (S.D.N.Y.): Successfully represented The Richard Avedon Foundation in a case for interference with contract and determination of copyright ownership concerning over 4,000 Avedon photographs.
Warner Bros. (France): Obtained a dismissal of copyright claims against Warner Bros. and the authors, director, producer, distributors, and broadcasters of the French hit comedy “Les Seigneurs.” Successfully moved to strike the appeal of the decision.
Jeremy Southgate v. United States et al. (E.D. Vir.): Obtained a dismissal with prejudice of a complaint alleging racketeering, trademark and copyright infringement against the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.
Zimmerman v. Al Jazeera America, LLC et al. (D.D.C.): Successfully represented Major League Baseball players Ryan Howard and Ryan Zimmerman in a defamation action against Al Jazeera America (and related entities) arising from a documentary accusing them of using a banned performance enhancing substance.
Turner, et al. v. Spiegel, Murphy, and Snapchat (L.A.S.C.): Successfully defended Snapchat and co-founders Evan Spiegel and Bobby Murphy against Right of Publicity and Section 3344 (Name and Likeness) claims for use of plaintiffs’ likenesses in connection with Snapchat app.
Terry Crews v. Adam Venit and William Morris Endeavor (L.A.S.C.): Successfully defended William Morris Endeavor talent agency against claims of harassment and battery.
Zhang v. Baidu.com Inc. and the People’s Republic of China (S.D.N.Y.): Successfully represented com, the most popular internet search service in China, in an action claiming that it violated United States laws by allegedly preventing its search engine from returning results linking to plaintiffs’ works advocating political change in China. The court held that Baidu’s search results were protected speech and that the action was therefore barred by the First Amendment.
Byers v. Edmondson, et al. (Tangipahoa Parish, Louisiana), 2001 WL 1147451, 29 Media L. Rep. 1991 (La. Dist. Ct. Mar. 12, 2001), aff’d., 826 So. 2d 551 (La. App. 2002), denied, 826 So. 2d 1131 (La. 2002); prior history: 712 So. 2d 681 (La. App. 1998), writ denied, 726 So. 2d 29 (La. 1998), cert. denied, 526 U.S. 1005 (1999): Obtained summary judgment for film director Oliver Stone, Time Warner, Warner Bros., and other defendants in a wrongful-death suit arising from a “copycat crime” allegedly inspired by the movie Natural Born Killers.
Citizens For Fair Treatment, Inc. v. Time Warner Entertainment Co., New Line Cinema Corp., Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios Inc., Paramount Pictures Corp., Sony Pictures Entertainment Inc., Universal Studios, Inc., Twentieth Century Fox Film Corp., and The Walt Disney Company (L.A.S.C.): Successfully defended all defendants (the seven major motion picture studios) in unfair competition action brought under California’s Business & Professions Code §17200 alleging that motion picture studios unlawfully marketed to children motion pictures rated “R” for their depiction of violence. Obtained writ to confirm statutory entitlement to stay of trial court proceedings pending defendants’ exercise of right of automatic appeal of denial of anti-SLAPP motion. Following reversal of trial court, obtained record-setting award of attorneys’ fees for clients.
Represented the major motion picture studios in the Federal Trade Commission’s 2000, 2003, and 2006 investigations into the film , music, and video game industries’ alleged marketing to minors of content depicting violence.
Australian Securities and Investments Commission Investigation of Leon Pasternak: Successfully represented Leon Pasternak, the Deputy Chairman of Australian radio company Southern Cross, in a regulatory investigation of Mr. Pasternak’s purchase of Southern Cross shares, which the regulator alleged constituted insider trading.
Represented the Motion Picture Association of America and its member companies in hearings before the California legislature and state Senate Judiciary Committee to defeat proposed legislation that would have imposed civil and criminal liability on content licensors who failed to license their content to affiliates for sufficiently high fees.
Century of Progress Productions, Inc. et al. v. Vivendi, et al. (C.D. Cal.): Representing Vivendi and Studiocanal, who own the This Is Spinal Tap movie and soundtrack album, against claims for improper accounting, fraud, and termination of the copyright grant.
Martindale v. Sony Pictures Entertainment (L.A.S.C.): Defended putative class action lawsuit against Sony Pictures concerning accounting for revenues from home video distribution of motion pictures under contracts that pre-date the development of the home video industry.
Confidential Arbitration (JAMS): Prevailed at trial on behalf of sellers of independent film distribution company to recover post-closing portion of purchase price owed by private equity purchaser and defeated purchaser’s fraud counterclaim alleging false and misleading financial statements.
Confidential Dispute Over Participation Accounting on Series of Motion Pictures: Successfully represented producer of motion pictures series and author of book on which the series is based in nine-figure dispute with studio/distributor over contingent compensation.
Jason West and Vince Zampella v. Activision Publishing, Inc. (L.A.S.C.): Successfully represented plaintiffs, creators of the multibillion-dollar video game franchises Call of Duty and Modern Warfare, in dispute over nonpayment of nine-figure bonuses and unauthorized development of sequels and other games. Case settled on favorable terms day before jury selection was to begin.
Tommy Lee Jones v. Paramount Pictures Corporation (W.D. Tex. and JAMS Arbitration): Represented Paramount Pictures, the studio and distributor of the Academy Award-winning motion picture No Country for Old Men, in a dispute with actor over contingent compensation contract. Obtained dismissal with prejudice of fraud claims and compelled performer to arbitrate dispute.
The Saul Zaentz Co. v. New Line Cinema Corp. (L.A.S.C.): Represented the studio behind The Lord of the Rings motion picture trilogy, New Line Cinema, against accounting and breach of contract claims related to rights holder’s “adjusted gross receipts” participation. Obtained summary judgment on counterclaim regarding rights to The Hobbit.
Burrows v. Warner Bros. Television (L.A.S.C.): Represented Warner Bros. against contract and accounting claims arising from well-known director’s percentage participation in “defined proceeds” on the Friends television series.
Wingnut Films, Ltd. v. Katja Motion Pictures Corp., et al., (C.D. Cal.): Defended New Line Cinema and its production company against claims by writer-director-producer Peter Jackson that his contract was breached paying his share of “gross receipts” on The Lord of the Rings motion picture trilogy. Plaintiff asserted “vertical integration” claims related to distribution licenses involving companies affiliated with the defendants.
StudioCanal Image, S.A., et al. v. Artisan Entertainment, Inc. (L.A.S.C.): Successfully defended home video distributor in connection with long-standing lawsuits involving claims and counterclaims over accountings and contract rights to distribute the Carolco Pictures film library, which includes Terminator 2, Basic Instinct, the Rambo series, Total Recall, and Stargate.
Batfilm Productions, Inc. v. Warner Bros., et al. (L.A.S.C.): Successfully defended Warner Bros. through judge and jury trials against claims brought by the executive producers of Batman and Batman Returns regarding their alleged contract right to produce the movies and their credit and participation accounting claims, resulting in a zero recovery for the plaintiffs.
com v. ARRI, AG (C.D. Cal.): Successfully represented ARRI AG in an action for misappropriation of trade secrets and violations of the Lanham Act in the development and marketing of digital motion picture cameras, and ARRI Inc. in an action for unfair competition and misappropriation of trade secrets concerning the marketing and distribution of digital motion picture cameras and related equipment.
SimpleAir, Inc. v. Sony Ericsson Mobile Communications AB (Fed. Cir.): Obtained a reversal of an $85 million verdict against Google for patent infringement of technology used to send notifications to mobile devices, by successfully arguing that the district court erred in its claim construction.
Function Media, LLC v. Google, Inc. and Yahoo, Inc. (E.D. Tex.; Fed Cir.): Won a unanimous jury verdict of both non-infringement and invalidity in the Eastern District of Texas and a complete affirmance of the judgments from the United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit for Google’s AdSense advertising products against Function Media’s $600 million claim of infringement of three patents.
Altinex Inc. v. Alibaba.com Hong Kong Limited (C.D. Cal.) and Carp et al v. Alibaba Group Holding Limited (D. Mass.): Obtained a complete victory on summary judgment for com Hong Kong Limited, and won dismissal of design patent claims asserted against Alibaba Group Holding Limited. Both cases involved patent and trademark infringement claims stemming from third-party product listings on the Alibaba.com website.
Philips v. Google et al. (Mannheim District Court): Successfully represented Google, first as intervener and later as co-defendant, in a patent infringement action brought by Philips against mobile phone and tablet manufacturers.
Vergara et al. v. Twentieth Century Fox Int’l Television, Inc. (Los Angeles Super. Ct.): Successfully represented the cast of the television show Modern Family in a declaratory relief action arising from contracts allegedly in violation of California’s “Seven-Year Rule” (Labor Code § 2855) for personal service agreements.
In re Hulu Privacy Litigation, 86 F.Supp.3d 1090 (N.D. Cal. 2015): Successfully defended Hulu in consolidated putative class action cases involving the Video Privacy Protection Act and related privacy statutes, and the allegation that the defendant knowingly disclosed personally identifiable information about its users. Defeated class certification and obtained summary judgment on liability.
Vigal v. Take-Two Interactive, 235 F.Supp.3d 499 (S.D.N.Y. 2017), aff’d., (2d Cir. No. 17-303, Nov. 21, 2017): Successfully defended Take-Two Interactive, publisher of the NBA 2K basketball video games, against class action alleging violation of the Biometric Information Privacy Act (“BIPA”) based on use of user photographs to create customized game players and transmit them to third party users when playing in multiplayer mode. Decision affirmed on appeal.
Wildfireweb, Inc. v. Tinder, Inc. et al (C.D. Cal.): Successfully represented Tinder, Inc. and IAC/InterActiveCorp in a trademark infringement lawsuit brought by a website designer that had a prior federal registration in a “Tinder” trademark.
Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (“AMPAS”) v. Briarbrook Auction, LLC, et al. (LASC): Obtained an important ruling upholding AMPAS bylaws giving it right of first refusal to buy back its Oscar statuettes for $10 and its applicability to Oscar statuettes awarded prior to enactment of the bylaw. The Court held that AMPAS’s restriction on alienability of the statuettes runs with the statuette, and binds the winner’s heirs and successors, as long as the winner was a member of the Academy at the time the bylaw was adopted.
Washington Nationals Baseball Club, LLC v. TCR Sports Broadcasting Holding, LLP d/b/a Mid-Atlantic Sports Network (N.Y. Sup. Ct.; N.Y. App. Div.): Successfully represented the Washington Nationals in a dispute with the Baltimore Orioles and the Mid-Atlantic Sports Network over the parties’ broadcast agreement.
Bouchat v. Baltimore Ravens Ltd. P’ship, et al. (D. Md.; 4th Cir.): Successfully represented The National Football League and the Baltimore Ravens professional football franchise in a series of copyright actions stemming from the adoption by the Ravens of an inaugural logo for its 1996-1998 seasons that plaintiff Frederick Bouchat alleged was substantially similar to a copyrighted drawing he had submitted for consideration.
Gross v. GFI Group, et al. (S.D.N.Y.): Obtained dismissal with prejudice for Michael “Mickey” Gooch and Colin Heffron against securities fraud claims.
We acted for a Premier League Football Club (UK) on the only successful ground move in the history of the Football League from one area of the country to another, which included a Football Association (FA) Arbitration and Commission of Inquiry, and in a player transfer dispute in a FA arbitration.
We are General Counsel to the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, and successfully represented the Academy in many matters, including actions to enforce its right to protect Oscar statuettes from commercial exploitation and as to its annual program. We also handle the Academy’s IP enforcement in the UK.
Quinn Emanuel obtained a voluntary dismissal with prejudice of a headline-grabbing breach of contract and fraud suit filed by internationally acclaimed professional poker player Gordon Vayo against Quinn Emanuel client Rational Entertainment Enterprises Limited, an Isle of Man company that owns and operates a number of successful gambling websites, including PokerStars.com. The suit arose from PokerStars freezing Vayo’s account based on the determination that Vayo had been playing in a PokerStars tournament from the United States, in violation of PokerStars’ terms of service. In the course of defending against Vayo’s claims, Quinn Emanuel uncovered that Vayo was the one who had committed fraud by forging documents—including bank records—in an effort to prove he was not in the United States and therefore eligible to collect money he had won in the PokerStars tournament. Once PokerStars revealed Vayo’s fraud, he dismissed his suit with prejudice while PokerStars’ motion to dismiss for lack of personal jurisdiction and improper forum was pending, and before any discovery.
Icahn v Lions Gate Entertainment Corp. et al. (N.Y. Sup. Ct.; S. Ct. British Columbia): Successfully represented MHR Fund Management, its founder Dr. Mark Rachesky, and affiliated funds relating to Carl Icahn’s actions in British Columbia, where he alleged shareholder “oppression,” and in New York, where he alleged tortious interference with a contract between Icahn and the company. Icahn sought to undo a series of transactions in which MHR, a large shareholder, acquired additional shares in the company. Following a four day trial, the Supreme Court of British Columbia rejected Icahn’s bid to rescind the transactions or sterilize MHR’s votes, and two months later, the New York Supreme Court denied Icahn’s request for a preliminary injunction.

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