News

New York Passes “Freelance Isn’t Free Act”

Two weeks ago on October 27, 2016, New York City passed the “Freelance Isn’t Free Act,” (the “Act”) which provides legal protections for freelancers. The Act will go into effect 180 days after it is signed by Mayor de Blasio.  Prior to this Act, a freelancer’s sole remedy for nonpayment...

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RPL’s Ethan Krasnoo on New California Law to Prevent Age Discrimination in Casting Actors

Recently, California state enacted a new law that allows actors and other entertainment industry professionals to require removal of their ages posted on certain websites. Specifically, A.B. 1687 requires commercial entertainment employment providers like the Internet Movie Database (“IMDb”), that offer paid subscription services for actors and other professionals to...

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Would the Second Circuit Have Ruled Differently in the Maltz Canadian Copyright Case? Insights from Reavis Parent Lehrer Associate Allison “Ally” M. Grein

After discovering her grandfather’s diary, written in the Holocaust-era village of Sokal (formerly in Poland, now considered part of Ukraine), Israeli-American documentarian Judy Maltz traveled to an address recorded in the diary—the home of Francizska Halamajowa, a woman who offered safe haven to Maltz’ grandfather, three Jewish families and a German soldier...

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RPL Partner Larry Brocchini Provides Overview of Landmark Federal Trade Secrets Act

Recently, Congress enacted, and President Obama signed, the Defend Trade Secrets Act of 2016 (“DTSA”), the first comprehensive federal trade secrets legislation.  This landmark legislation provides a federal civil remedy for the misappropriation of trade secrets, thereby allowing trade secret owners to protect their innovations and seek redress in federal...

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RPL Partner Larry Brocchini Discusses Recent Ruling for Madonna on “De Minimis” Copyright Sampling in Vogue

Recently, a divided panel of the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals affirmed a copyright decision in favor of the pop star Madonna.  The plaintiff, VMG Salsoul, LLC, alleged that Madonna and producer Shep Pettibone improperly copied a 0.23 second segment of horn hits from Salsoul’s song Love Break and used...

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