Successful musicians and other artists, like most brands, are not immune to damages if they aren’t legally protected. Countless members of the entertainment industry have had to fight legal battles ranging from stolen intellectual property and copyrights, to mismanaged wealth and estate plans.
It’s more common than you might think. Here are five recent news articles about entertainment law case disputes:
One recent example of a celebrity running into financial and legal difficulties is the case of Wendy Williams. Williams has sued Wells Fargo and her financial advisor, Lori Schiller, after the banking entity froze her accounts claiming Williams’ was of unsound mind due to illness.
Williams has reportedly gone for weeks without access to her personal funds, and has claimed damages as a result.
Copyright infringements are a constant struggle for musical artists. Musical duo Aron and Robert Marderosian of the rock act Heavy Young Heathens, recently sued two U.S. figure skaters and NBC for “blatantly” using their version of House of the Rising Sun without permission.
It’s been a common cause of confusion in the legal community: what are the differences between business consulting by a lawyer, and direct legal services in entertainment law cases? The California court of Appeal recently released some new insights.
Selling a recorded catalog of music can be big business. After all, it’s the most important intellectual property (IP) of a musician. Popular country artist Jason Aldean recently sold about 90% of his recorded catalog to NYC-based Spirit Music Group in a whopping $100 million deal.
Many artists, from Def Leppard to the estate of David Bowie, have sold their catalogs of music for major deals like this one.
This is an increasingly prevalent headline of the last few years. As major streaming services have tried adapting to the business nightmare of the pandemic, many studios have opted to release their movies on streaming services as well. Unfortunately, this can have adverse effects on box office returns, especially when the streaming and theater releases are simultaneous.
The co-producing company involved in the ‘Matrix Resurrections’ film release has sued Warner Bros. after suffering losses they believe resulted from an unexpected decision to stream on HBO Max in addition to the theater release. This follows on the heels of other major lawsuits, like the one filed by Scarlett Johansson against Disney when the film giant promoted a quick-streaming release of her film ‘Black Widow’.
At Artisan Law, I know how important it is to protect yourself legally. Don’t leave your intellectual property, estate, or other assets vulnerable to disputes. If you think you may be exposed to legal risks, get in touch with me. I specialize in finding solutions for creators, entrepreneurs, and brand owners, especially in entertainment law. We can find the right solution for you together.
