News

Netflix’s “Our Father”: A Fertile Ground for Lawsuits and Legal Drama

by Daniel Ain and Ariana Zhao Netflix is no stranger to litigation brought by individuals unhappy with their appearance or portrayal in Netflix programming. My colleagues have previously commented on recent defamation claims in scripted Netflix series, including Baby Reindeer and Inventing Anna. A case decided last week in the...

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Second Circuit: Purchase Of Search Engine Keyword That Is Competitor’s Mark Does Not, Standing Alone, Constitute Infringement

By Gregory P. Feit Last month, in 1-800 Contacts, Inc. v. JAND, Inc., DBA Warby Parker, the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit addressed whether purchasing a competitor’s trademarks in the context of keyword search advertising amounts to trademark infringement. Adopting what it termed the “consensus view,”...

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“Stereophonic” Rumors and an Evaluation of Cases from the Last Decade Exploring the Ability and Limits of Borrowing Copyrighted Material for the New York Stage

By Ethan Krasnoo  This month, the producers and sound engineer behind Fleetwood Mac’s recordings filed a lawsuit alleging that the playwright David Adjmi and other related parties infringed their copyright in the memoir Making Rumours with Adjmi’s currently running Broadway play, Stereophonic.  Notably, Stereophonic has garnered significant acclaim, winning five...

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RPJ Partner Nicole Page Featured in L.A. Times Article Discussing “Baby Reindeer” Lawsuit

By Nicole Page The pilot episode of Netflix's miniseries "Baby Reindeer" claims to be “a true story,” raising questions about the accuracy of its portrayal of a stalker, based on creator Richard Gadd's experiences. This has led to a lawsuit from Fiona Harvey, who asserts she inspired the stalker character...

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RPJ Partner Nicole Page Authors Forbes Article, “Netflix’s ‘Baby Reindeer’ Prances Its Way Into Court On Defamation Claims”

By Nicole Page In her newest article for Forbes, RPJ Partner Nicole Page discusses the legal challenges faced by Netflix's "Baby Reindeer," a show that has gained significant acclaim but is now embroiled in a defamation lawsuit.  The show, based on Richard Gadd's autobiographical stage play, claims to be a...

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Second Circuit: “Continuing Violation” Doctrine Applies in Determining Applicability of Ending Forced Arbitration Act to Sexual Harassment-Related Hostile Work Environment Claim

By Gregory P. Feit Our Firm has previously reported (here and here) on the Ending Forced Arbitration of Sexual Assault and Sexual Harassment Act of 2021 (“EFAA”; 9 U.S.C. §§ 401-402), which invalidates and renders unenforceable, at the election of a complainant, pre-dispute arbitration agreements in cases relating to sexual...

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RPJ Partner Helen D. (Heidi) Reavis Featured in Fox News Article Discussing the ‘Rust’ Trial Outcome and Legal Impacts

Last week, Judge Mary Marlowe Sommer unexpectedly announced the decision to dismiss the serious criminal charges against Alec Baldwin.  The actor was initially charged in January 2023 with two counts of involuntary manslaughter after shooting and killing cinematographer Halyna Hutchins and injuring Joel Souza on the set of ‘Rust’ in...

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Anticipated Effects of the U.S. Supreme Court’s Eradication of Chevron Deference on Employment Agency Rules

Last Friday, in Loper Bright Enterprises v. Raimondo, the United States Supreme Court overruled a 40-year-old judicial deference doctrine known as “Chevron deference,” named after the 1984 Supreme Court ruling in Chevron v. Natural Resources Defense Council, which instructed courts that they should defer to federal administrative agencies’ readings on...

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