Above Copyright Law: One of China’s Most Notorious Black Markets »
By: Nicole Metzgar-Schall
The sale of illegal copies of DVDs is a global problem, especially in China, where legally purchased DVDs are virtually …
Kesha’s Recording Contract and Allegations of Sexual Abuse »
By: Anne McManus-Spitzer
Recording contracts have been at the center of multiple legal disputes between record labels and musicians. Even music artist, Prince, …
Stealing Jokes on Social Media »
By: Anthony Marino
Many social media users subscribe to one or more Instagram or Twitter accounts that are considered, “joke aggregate accounts.” A …
WSOP Main Event 2015: Professional Poker Players & Tax Liabilities »
The World Series of Poker (“WSOP”) Main Event has concluded for 2015. The biggest winner of the WSOP will not be Joe McKeehen, but rather the United States Internal Revenue Service (“IRS”). McKeehen was awarded a life altering $7,683,346 dollars. From paper and simple glance, it seems the poker tournament has helped make the finalists into millionaires. Each of the finalists navigated through a grueling field of 6,420 participants, which included professional poker players, recreational players, and celebrities, although, the IRS will ultimately win the most money per tax liabilities. - Read more...
A-List Artists, Lawsuits, and Etsy Fan Art »
Big name artists are cracking down on fan-made art. Recently, Taylor Swift, Beyoncé, and Drake have expressed their disapproval of fan made art, which incorporates their song lyrics. Taylor Swift and Beyoncé sent cease and desist letters to other small product creators for using their name or lyrics. And, Drake posted a tweet expressing his disdain for Walgreens and Macy’s selling products with his lyric created acronym, “YOLO,” which stands for “you only live once.” - Read more...
Brown, Black and White: differing media treatment of Domestic Abusers »
Since the domestic assault in 2009, Chris Brown has garnered much media scrutiny related to his every action. The media’s discussion about Brown has continually focused on publicly condemning him and creating a “culturally resonant villain” in the fight against domestic abuse. Many will disagree, but Brown’s case must be analyzed through a racial lens. - Read more...
E-Sports and the Legal Future of Online Gaming »
One hundred million people tune in every month to watch their favorite players go head to head online and on ESPN. Stadiums around the world sell out in minutes when an event comes to town. The superstars of this sport make seven figures for winning a single tournament (that’s not even including the lucrative sponsorship opportunities from companies itching to get in on the action). You may think I’m talking about baseball or basketball, but you’d be wrong. This sport brings in more viewers for a single tournament than the World Series and the NBA Finals combined. What I’m talking about is something called “e-sports” and if you don’t know about it yet, rest assured you will soon. - Read more...
Super Bowl Fever: Cashing In On The Fun »
The Super Bowl is coming to Phoenix. The city is ablaze with the pump of tourist money and the adrenaline of hosting possibly the most important sports match of the entire year for Americans. However, I wonder how I can cash in on the action. I do not intend to scalp tickets, sell T-shirts, or sit on a street corner offering soda or water for a dollar to the crowds on the hot sidewalk. Nor will I do anything illegal or morally unsound. I intend on making money in a far easier and more legitimate way. As a student residing in five bedroom house, my immediate money making ideas stem from the amazing property I have in the city of Tempe--not far from the city of Glendale--where the actual Super Bowl will be played. The simplest mechanism I can imagine for making money is the one pioneered on the internet by an overwhelmingly young demographic, Airbnb.com. - Read more...
Act Two of the Unpaid Internship Saga: Human Rights Protections »
For the last year, the spotlight has been on Hollywood’s unpaid interns demanding payment for their work. Although the issue has existed for years, a lawsuit brought by a pair of unpaid interns against Fox Searchlight sparked subsequent lawsuits against industry giants like NBCUniversal, Marvel, and Warner Music Group. This explosion of lawsuits has set the stage for public inquiry into why unpaid interns are denied so many legal protections, including legal recourse for sexual harassment. The case of Lihuan Wang has provided a close-up of this issue, inspiring recent changes in legislation that will hopefully edit sexual harassment from the script of Hollywood internships. - Read more...
The Walking Dead Lawsuit: Vertical Integration is Still Alive in the Entertainment Industry »
Another vertical integration lawsuit has risen to life. Frank Darabont, the writer-director-producer of the most watched show on all of television, The Walking Dead, is in court, facing off against American Movie Classics (AMC), the network that broadcasts the hit zombie apocalypse show. The Walking Dead lawsuit is the latest in a long line of “vertical integration” cases in Hollywood that arise when a TV show broadcaster also produces the show via an affiliated entity. The broadcaster pays a license fee to the production studio, which is then shared with talent. The license fees are supposed to be negotiated between broadcasters and producers to reflect the fair market value of a given series. - Read more...