Musical Composition Copyright Infringement Cases Back in Vogue
Music “plagiarism” copyright infringement cases are not uncommon, and have made a comeback in recent years. Artists from Led Zeppelin (Randy Craig Wolfe Trust v. Led Zeppelin (“Stairway to Heaven”)), to Avril Lavigne (Dunbar v. Gottwald (Lavigne’s “Girlfriend”)), to Jessie J (Loomis v. Cornish (Jessie J’s “Domino”)) have lately become embroiled in legal battles over
Unanimous Supreme Court Decision Keeps “Tacking” in the Hands of Juries
On January 21, 2015, in its first substantive trademark ruling in more than a decade, the United States Supreme Court unanimously held that the question of “tacking” – a doctrine by which a brand owner may modify its mark overtime without disrupting its priority of rights – is a factual one, more appropriately suited for
Subscribe to the CDAS newsletter and client alerts email
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,
Shifting Injunction Standards in Copyright, Trademark Cases
Note: This blog is cross-posted from Law360.com with permission from Portfolio Media, Inc. For decades, obtaining an injunction in a copyright or trademark case was simple: Show success on the merits (or likely success on the merits, at the preliminary injunction stage), and injunctive relief was usually automatically yours. Then, in 2006, the U.S. Supreme Court issued a
CDAS Partner Nancy Wolff’s Webinar Available Online
Recently, CDAS Partner Nancy Wolff hosted a webinar for the Digital Media Licensing Association which answered common questions about when you need releases when using visual images. The webinar is now available online for free, and is a useful resource for anyone publishing or displaying still or motion images and wondering whether permissions are needed
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
Eleanor M. Lackman to Speak at PLI’s IP Issues in Business Transactions 2015
CDAS Partner Eleanor M. Lackman will be participating in this PLI’s IP Issues in Business Transactions, which is scheduled for January 12-13, 2015. The event provides attendees with an in-depth understanding of the special considerations attached with Intellectual Property issues, while exploring the strategic role of IP in a company. Ms. Lackman will be returning to the event
Victory for Blizzard/Activision in “Call of Duty” Right-of-Publicity Battle with Manuel Noriega
This Blog is an Update to a Previous Post. To read the original post, please click here. On August 1, 2014, we reported that former Panamanian dictator Manuel Noriega had filed a lawsuit in California Superior Court against Blizzard/Activision over Activision’s portrayal of the despot in its highly successful game “Call of Duty: Black Ops
Mary E. Rasenberger hired as Executive Director of The Authors Guild
Cowan DeBaets Abrahams & Sheppard LLP (CDAS) is proud to announce that The Authors Guild has hired Mary Rasenberger to succeed Paul Aiken as executive director, on November 3. Currently a partner at CDAS, Ms. Rasenberger recently was director of the Library of Congress’s National Digital Preservation Program from 2006 to 2008 and prior to that spend