960 F. Supp. 710 (S.D.N.Y. 1997), aff’d in part, rev’d in part and remanded, 159 F.3d 1347 (2d Cir. 1998)
In 7 year litigation successfully represented widow of artist Patrick Nagel who won ownership in trial and on appeal of more than half of 338 copyrights at issue for paintings reproduced in Playboy magazine in 1974-84 period. Artist’s widow won ownership on the ground that the Playboy payment check endorsements for these works did not constitute valid work made for hire agreements or transfers of the artist’s copyrights under the 1976 Copyright Act.