SDNY Judge Dismisses “Hustlers” Invasion of Privacy and Defamation Claims

In an opinion rife with references to adult entertainment and drugs, a judge in the Southern District of New York recently dismissed an invasion of privacy and defamation case over a plaintiff’s apparent depiction in the 2019 film “Hustlers.”  See Barbash v. STX Financing, LLC, Case No. 1:20-cv-00123-DLC (S.D.N.Y. Nov. 10, 2020).  For the uninitiated,

“A Secret Love,” from CDAS client Blumhouse, Rated 100% on Rotten Tomatoes

Blumhouse’s bittersweet documentary “A Secret Love” premiered today on Netflix to rave reviews. Simon Pulman represented Blumhouse in its deal with the filmmakers, Briana Hill was involved in the film’s financing, and Calvin Mohammadi and Simon represented Blumhouse in its deal with Netflix. Watch the trailer here.

Top Five List: Protecting Your Podcast (and You)

Although podcasts have been around in one form or another since the early aughts, their ubiquity and popularity has skyrocketed in recent years.  Apple, Spotify, Pandora, Google, and Stitcher, among other platforms, have changed the game when it comes to distribution, variety, and access.  Wildly popular programs like Serial, Pod Save America, My Favorite Murder,

Acquiring Videogame Properties for Film and TV: Considerations for Buyers

The videogame industry is now the most profitable individual sector of entertainment, having experienced exponential growth over the past forty years. Great games can quickly generate a large and unusually engaged fanbase, and as a result it could be argued that games will be the single biggest source of major entertainment brands for the foreseeable

Ninth Circuit Provides Valuable Guide to Obtaining Copyright Protection for Customer Data

Those familiar with copyright law recognize the well-established principle that facts are not eligible for copyright protection. A compilation of facts may be eligible, however, if the selection or arrangement of facts reflects the requisite originality and creativity to warrant copyright protection. In Feist Publications v. Rural Telephone Service Co., the U.S. Supreme Court considered

Law360: News Site Beats Suit Over Image Of Violent Berkeley Clash

By Bill Donahue Law360 (March 26, 2018, 3:35 PM EDT) — A New York federal judge on Friday tossed out a copyright lawsuit filed against news website Mic over an image of protesters at a pro-Trump rally, calling the site’s use of a still-frame from a video “trivial.” Access the full article here.

Newly Announced CDAS Partner Doug Jacobs Featured on Broadcasting & Cable

Following today’s earlier announcement that Former General Counsel of A&E, Doug Jacobs, was joining the firm as a Partner, Mr. Jacobs had an opportunity to speak with Jon Lafayette, Business Editor at Broadcasting & Cable, about the transition. Mr. Jacobs touched upon the current state of the Television Business, as well as the future of

CDAS Brings on Former General Counsel of A&E, Doug Jacobs, as Partner

Cowan, DeBaets, Abrahams & Sheppard LLP (CDAS) is proud to announce that Doug Jacobs, recently Executive Vice President and Senior Counsel of A&E Television Networks, has joined the firm as a partner in its New York office. Mr. Jacobs’ practice will primarily focus on matters involving the cable television industry and the evolving digital media universe,