Category: Media & Entertainment Law

• July 6, 2017

  Watch Now: I joined a VidCon copyright panel!

  At the end of June, I had the pleasure of joining a legal panel at the 8th Annual VidCon in Anaheim, CA. Never heard of VidCon? You’re missing out! Explaining VidCon is simple: it’s an annual convention for online video. However, truly understanding VidCon requires an immersion in all things online video and the online influencers culture. Can […]
• May 16, 2017

  The Law of YouTubers: The Next Generation of Creators and the Legal Issues They Face

  This article was first published in the ABA’s Landslide® Magazine May/June 2017 issue (Volume 9, Number 5). Co-written by Franklin Graves & Michael Lee (@GeekAttorney). It’s undeniable that, by generating billions of daily views and hundreds of millions of hours in watch time over the course of a single day, YouTube is the go-to destination […]
• May 9, 2017

  What Is a Career in Entertainment Law?

  I recently participated in a rapid-fire Q&A webinar hosted by the American Bar Association’s Legal Career Central. I joined my Nashville-based colleague and law school friend Molly Shehan to provide insights about what it’s like to be an attorney practicing “entertainment law.” I approached the session from the in-house lawyer perspective while Molly provided a […]
• May 7, 2017

  Guest Appearance #5 on This WEEK in LAW!

  I’m always having a blast each time I join the panel on This WEEK in LAW! This time around, it was perfect timing to talk about augmented reality video games and Pokemon GO, the recent Fyre Festival disaster, YouTube’s growing pains with advertisers and YouTubers, fansubs, and more. I encourage you to either watch the […]
• February 24, 2017

  It's (Not) Britney, Bitch! – Issues in Music Licensing for Biopics

  If you somehow have missed the beautiful disaster that is Britney Ever After on Lifetime, fear not. James Corden, host of The Late Late Show with James Corden on CBS, provides a perfect review of the ‘unauthorized’ cinematic masterpiece. Like many music superstar biopics before it, Britney Ever After fails miserably when it comes to […]
• February 14, 2017

  Copyright Office Q&A Session About The New Online DMCA Designated Agents Directory [Guest Blog Post]

  Check out the transcript from an interview I conducted with the U.S. Copyright Office’s Attorney-Advisor Jason Sloan regarding the new DMCA Designated Agent Directory, published as a guest blog post over at Eric Goldman’s Technology & Marketing Law Blog. The online directory was recently launched by the U.S. Copyright Office and has been the subject of […]
• January 14, 2017

  Music Service Agreements 101 [Video Presentation to ABA-IPL's YLAG]

  I had the opportunity to give a presentation called  “Music Service Agreements 101” during yesterday’s ABA Section of Intellectual Property Law’s Young Lawyer Action Group conference call.  “Music Service Agreements 101” provides a basic understanding of music service agreements, such as iTunes/Apple Music, Pandora, and Spotify. During the presentation, I discuss the common industry terms/definitions to know about, […]
• November 23, 2016

  #MannequinChallenge Quick Take: Got A Corporate Viral Video? Think Twice Before Sharing It!

  I hope by now you’ve seen the “Mannequin Challenge” videos. Two of my personal favorites are: the solo challenge and the cheating girlfriend. Do you have a favorite? Share it in the comments! A lot of the videos are dealing with takedown notices for copyright infringement because they include the song “Black Beatles (feat. Gucci Mane)” by […]
• August 18, 2016

  The Internet’s Safe Harbor Did Not Just Become A Little Less Safe

  Read the full article on Medium. A response to Klint Finley’s article, The Internet’s Safe Harbor Just Got a Little Less Safe, published in WIRED on August 17, 2016. The internet’s safe harbor did not just become a little less safe and I argue that it’s a far cry to conclude that Judge O’Grady’s recent decision will have an extreme […]
• May 8, 2015

  Oops!… She Moaned Again: Copyright Complaint Filed Against Sony Music, Britney Spears, and Others

  

  Everyone wants a piece of Britney Spears. At least that’s how it appears in a recently filed complaint against the pop star’s record label, Sony Music Entertainment, its subsidiary RCA Records, and the label imprint Zomba Recording. The lawsuit alleges two claims of copyright infringement, one for the 2007 Britney Spears track “Piece of Me” and a second for Travis Porter’s […]