Ethan Krasnoo Lectures on #MeToo Year Two and the Entertainment Industry

On March 12, 2019 Reavis Page Jump Counsel Ethan Krasnoo delivered a presentation to the New York City Bar Association Entertainment Law Committee entitled “#MeToo Year Two and the Entertainment Industry.” His presentation first focused on the law underlying claims of sexual harassment as well as recent New York statutory changes in the law, including (1) an extension of the statutes of limitation for bringing such claims in New York City, (2) mandates by New York State concerning arbitration of sexual harassment claims and settlement agreement requirements, and (3) new interactive content-specific sexual harassment training requirements for all New York State based employees in the next seven months and then annually thereafter. Secondly the presentation dissected a number of recent cases involving claims of sexual harassment and abuse in the entertainment industry, and explored the interrelationship between those claims and other legal claims of defamation brought by entertainment industry professionals as well. As detailed further in Ethan Krasnoo’s recent articles “Exploring the Role of Defamation in the #MeToo Narrative,” and “Defamation Continues to Take Center Stage in the #MeToo Narrative,” defamation claims have taken center stage as a legal mechanism for victims of sexual harassment to seek some justice  for situations where they are otherwise prevented from bringing direct legal claims of sexual harassment, as well as to supplement claims of alleging sexual harassment. Additionally, alleged harassers who claim to be falsely accused have also recently used defamation as a tool to combat accusations by alleged victims.

The New York City Bar Association Entertainment Law Committee is comprised of roughly 50 attorneys who are selected from a pool of applicants to serve for three year terms. The Committee  focuses on matters of interest to entertainment law practitioners in all aspects of the entertainment industry, including television, independent and documentary film, theater, record labels and music publishing, music rights organizations and new technologies. Members of the Committee serve to help shape law and public policy and further the entertainment law profession.

For more information, please contact RPJ Counsel Ethan Krasnoo, who counsels both companies and individuals on employment (including sexual harassment, discrimination, and contractual matters), entertainment and media, First Amendment, and data privacy matters. With the initiation of new 2019 legal requirements for sexual harassment prevention training, Mr. Krasnoo also counsels and trains company management and employees on best company practices as well as sexual harassment and discrimination prevention designed to fulfill the 2019 requirements under the laws of New York State, New York City, Connecticut and California. Mr. Krasnoo is admitted to practice in New York State, the U.S. District Courts for the Southern and Eastern Districts of New York, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit, and U.S. Tax Court. Attorney Advertising.