CDAS Named a Top Tier Firm, Nationally, for Entertainment Law and Trademark Law in U.S. News – Best Lawyers® “Best Law Firms in America 2020,” and achieved High Rankings in Copyright and Media Law

CDAS achieved a Tier 1 ranking nationally for Entertainment Law – Motion Pictures & Television as well as Trademark Law. The firm was also ranked nationally in Tier 2 for Copyright Law. Within New York City, CDAS was ranked in Tier 1 for Entertainment Law – Motion Pictures & Television, Copyright Law and Trademark Law,

Notable TV and Digital Trends Early Summer 2018

The television landscape is changing dramatically. New and major players have disrupted traditional models, as networks and studios explore different approaches and partnerships. Beginning with an overview of the biggest “new” player, the following links provide some noteworthy examples of how the streamers continue to expand, and what everyone else is doing to adapt to

Chambers USA 2018 Ranks Partners Lackman and Wolff as Top IP Attorneys; Recognizes Two Cowan, DeBaets, Abrahams & Sheppard LLP (CDAS) Practice Groups

Cowan, DeBaets, Abrahams & Sheppard LLP is delighted to announce that partners Eleanor M. Lackman and Nancy E. Wolff and both CDAS’s Entertainment and IP, Copyright and Litigation Practices have been recognized by Chambers and Partners in the Chambers USA 2018: America’s Leading Lawyers for Business guide. This is the fifth consecutive year Ms. Lackman and the second consecutive year Ms. Wolff

CDAS Client Alert: Federal Trade Secrets Law Provides Potent New Tool For Businesses In Online & Digital Media Space

Yesterday President Obama signed the Defend Trade Secrets Act of 2016 (“DTSA”), the culmination of several years of bipartisan efforts to federalize trade secret protection, placing it alongside the federal copyright, trademark, and patent statutes.  The DTSA – an extension of the Economic Espionage Act of 1996 – should be significant, generally, to businesses concerned

Ninth Circuit to Copyright Holders: DMCA Requires Fair Use Considerations

In an important decision affecting copyright owners, online hosts, and creators of user-generated content, the Ninth Circuit, on Monday, issued a bright line rule that copyright holders must consider the fair use doctrine before issuing takedown notices to remove otherwise infringing content in order to comply with the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA).  The Court’s

Inside Counsel’s Five-Part Series, “Where Former Entertainment GCs Go Next”, Provides Firm Profile of CDAS

Inside Counsel’s Senior Editor & Community Manager, Rich Steeves, published a five-part series titled “Where Former Entertainment GCs Go Next” last week, which was prominently featured on the Inside Counsel website. The series, which discussed the so called “third act” for successful general counsel, provided a comprehensive profile of CDAS and the services the firm

Appellate Victory for “The Neighbors” Photographer against Right of Privacy Claim

Arne Svenson, a New York-based fine art photographer, prevailed on an appeal before the New York Supreme Court Appellate Division, First Department, filed by plaintiffs Martha and Matthew Foster, who had unsuccessfully sought to prevent the display, promotion, or sale of certain photographs from Svenson’s popular series “The Neighbors” by invoking New York’s right of

Toto Can’t “Hold the Line”: Sony Prevails in Digital Royalty Dispute with Classic Rockers

A New York federal judge recently ruled in favor of Sony Music Entertainment (“SME”) in the latest dispute over the proper characterization of artist royalties on digital music sales, dismissing a breach of contract claim brought by rock group Toto (best known for the hits “Africa” and “Rosanna”). Ever since the Ninth Circuit’s 2010 decision

Copyright on the Wild Side

It’s been theorized that if you give a million monkeys a million typewriters, they will eventually produce the entire collected works of William Shakespeare. It’s been proven, however, that if a troupe of monkeys steals a camera, one will eventually take a really good selfie. By now you’ve probably heard this story, but just in