Our extensive experience with copyrights and content – both in the U.S. and internationally – includes counseling, registration, enforcement, and defense, as well as statutory termination.
We work with clients on matters relating to copyright licensing and assignment, analysis of work-for-hire issues, and securing copyright registrations, including appeals of rejections issued by the U.S. Copyright Office. With the proliferation of content throughout social media, we handle a growing number of privacy and right of publicity matters arising in this area.
Strengths that Matter to our Clients
Counseling (including termination) We counsel clients on all copyright matters and on securing copyright registrations, as well as services agreements, whether they be with individuals or firms tasked with producing creative material, advertising agencies, or internet marketing agencies. We also negotiate and draft license and other agreements relating to copyrights and content. Our deep experience in crafting proper idea submission, copyright work for hire, and trademark assignment provisions informs our approach and ensures that the given contract meets the situation in an appropriate manner.
Registration We advise clients on copyright registration strategies and are familiar with the revised Compendium as applied to copyright filing practice. Although applicants receive more rejections of their copyright filings under the new rules, we have secured a substantial number of reversals on appeal.
Enforcement and Defense We are quick to act on behalf of clients whose products, websites, brochures, and even insurance policy texts are copied without authorization. Working with clients in diverse industries, including jewelry designers, insurance companies, automobile makers, and others, we have an impressive record of successfully resolving disputes through negotiation, but are always willing to pursue other strategies, if necessary.
Litigation We are renowned for our success in winning significant cases involving Batman, Superman, Winnie the Pooh, and others when litigation is necessary. For example, one of our partners represented the plaintiff in the seminal copyright fair use case Harper & Row v. Nation Enterprises in the 1980s, and we have more recently won significant cases involving the Good Luck Troll (the fuzzy-haired doll whose copyright was restored from the public domain) and the cartoon Rugrats. More information about our litigation practice can be found here.