Two New Media Lawyers In MeetingTwo New Media Lawyers In Meeting

Entertainment & New Media

Our entertainment and new media attorneys have a broad range of experience in entertainment and new media transactions and litigation. We represent Internet, digital media, software, film and television studios, production and distribution companies, video game developers and publishers, social networking websites, and other entertainment, new media and technology entities and individuals, including actors, directors, writers and book authors.

Our representation includes most aspects of production, distribution, talent, content, licensing, copyright, trademark and title transactions and litigation, as well as various corporate and strategic ventures.

  • Represented a German investment group in connection with a $50 million investment in four motion pictures.
  • Represented a film production company, which was sued for alleged copyright and trademark infringement days before the worldwide release of a theatrical motion picture. The plaintiff immediately sought a temporary restraining order to prevent the release of the film. We successfully defeated the ex parte TRO, and shortly thereafter successfully moved the court to dismiss the lawsuit pursuant to Rule 12(b)(6) (failure to state a claim).
  • Represented an entertainment company in all aspects of its acquisition of a film library consisting of more than 650 films.
  • Represented a videogame company that had obtained the videogame rights to a film from the estate of the author of the source work (a novel) against a film company that claimed, under contract, copyright and trademark law, it owned all film, video, videogame and merchandising rights to that film where the merchandise clause in the agreement pursuant to which it obtained its rights did not contain a “future technologies” clause. We successfully defeated the film company’s preliminary injunction motion and summary judgment motion. We also filed a successful cross-motion for summary judgment. A favorable settlement was reached while on appeal to the Ninth Circuit after having been fully briefed.
  • Defended the largest social networking website in Europe in litigation alleging that it had copied the “look and feel” of the largest social networking website in the United States, including traveling to Europe to interview key players and ensure the proper preservation of electronic evidence, and defeating numerous procedural motions brought by the other side seeking discovery. The case settled after (a) the Court first issued a ruling that it was inclined to grant our client’s motion to dismiss the action on forum non conveniens grounds (but would defer issuing a final ruling until it was prepared to decide our client’s motion to dismiss for lack of personal jurisdiction), and (b) soon after that ruling, our client achieved victory in related litigation in Europe which likely would have had preclusive effect here.
  • Represented an L.A.-based online video game creator, producer and publisher regarding projects and corporate finance, including work on various rights agreements.
  • Represented a German entertainment and distribution company in a breach of contract suit brought by an American film production company regarding an output agreement. A favorable resolution was reached at arbitration.
  • Represented numerous providers of technology and technological services to the entertainment industry, including providers in the areas of DVD technology, computer software, special effects and post-production, as to the negotiation and documentation of a variety of transactions.
Entertainment & New Media
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