Select Entertainment, Media & Technology Matters

• X Corp. v. Center for Countering Digital Hate et al. – Successfully obtained dismissal of X Corp.’s (fka Twitter) claims against the European Climate Foundation in suit alleging violations of Computer Fraud and Abuse Act and tortious interference in connection with newsgathering and reporting.
• Wolf v. NBCUniversal – Successfully defended NBCUniversal in a $150 million television profit participation licensing arbitration regarding a Law & Order series, including recouping arbitration fees.*
• Herring Networks, Inc. v. Maddow et al. – Successfully obtained anti-SLAPP dismissal of a defamation claim brought by the owner of a television network against Rachel Maddow, MSNBC, NBCUniversal and Comcast.*
• Optimum Productions v. Home Box Office, Inc. – Represented HBO against claims filed by Michael Jackson’s estate over the Emmy-winning documentary Leaving Neverland.*
• LMNO Cable Group, Inc. v. Discovery Communications, LLC – Represented Discovery in complex copyright, trademark, profit participation, contract and fraud litigation against a reality television production company.*
• Trump v. Trump – Successfully represented Mary Trump in defeating Robert Trump’s effort to enjoin publication of her best-selling memoir, Too Much and Never Enough.*
• Brown v. Giongco et al. – Successfully obtained full dismissal of singer Chris Brown’s claims against a Philippine arena owner over alleged extortion following a Manila concert.*
• DIRECTV, LLC v. Nexstar Broadcasting, Inc. – Represented DIRECTV in a contract action in New York Supreme Court in a $12 million retransmission dispute.*
• Bruder Releasing v. TelevisaUnivision – Obtained dismissal for TelevisaUnivision of lawsuit over licensing agreements, including claims for breach, copyright infringement and false designation of origin.
• Defended a studio in a profit participation arbitration with a major TV franchise.

Select Intellectual Property Matters

• Tracy Anderson Mind and Body LLC v. Megan Roup et al. -- Representing celebrity fitness entrepreneur Megan Roup and The Sculpt Society LLC against copyright, Lanham Act, UCL, and contract claims over dance-cardio fitness classes. Successfully obtained summary judgment of copyright infringement claim and dismissal of Lanham Act and unfair competition claims.
• Real v. Yuga Labs et al. – Successfully represented artist Diplo in putative class action lawsuit claiming violation of securities laws in connection with ownership and alleged promotion of Bored Ape Yacht Club NFTs.
• Iglesia Ni Cristo (Church of Christ) v. Samson – Successfully obtained preliminary injunction and resolution of copyright infringement litigation against former minister who was infringing Church’s original hymns by broadcasting them via a worship service over Zoom.
• Hugh M. Hefner Foundation – Representing the Foundation in intellectual property matters, including trademark, copyright and right of publicity matters.
• Providence Publications v. Lockton – Defending insurance company against claims of copyright infringement.
• Representing the estate of a director pursuing copyright and moral rights claims over rights in music videos.

Select Music Matters

• Warner/Chappell Music v. EMI Entertainment World Inc. – Represented EMI and affiliates in litigation brought by Warner/Chappell and affiliates over royalty accounting matters for multiple song catalogues by artists such as Curtis Mayfield and Kool and the Gang, as well as film and television library catalogues with contracts dating back to the 1930s.
• In re Estate of Prince Rogers Nelson – Successfully obtained rescission of a music licensing agreement and full return of funds for record company in deal with Prince’s estate.*
• Soundgarden et al. v. UMG Recordings, Inc. – Successfully represented record company in a putative class action over master recordings allegedly destroyed in a fire on the Universal Studios backlot.*
• Johansen v. Sony Music Entertainment – Represented record company in a putative copyright class action brought by recording artists over Section 203 termination rights and related infringement claims.*
• Francisco Partners – Advised Francisco Partners Management, a U.S.-headquartered global investment firm, in its 2022 majority stake investment in Kobalt Music.
• Square Inc. – Advised Square in its 2021 acquisition of music-streaming platform TIDAL.*
• Edmunds v. Coleman – Representing music manager in litigation seeking commissions from artist’s catalog sale.
• Associated Production Music, LLC v. Stones Throw Records – Defended record label against claims of copyright infringement in connection with sampling.

Select Artificial Intelligence Matters

• Representing music distributor in dispute with AI music company over accounting, royalty and inauthentic streaming.
• Advising music publishing and distributor in connection with negotiations with DSP over use of intellectual property in connection with development of AI-powered models.
• Representing and advising companies on best-practices and risk mitigation regarding use of AI products, with focus on intellectual property considerations.

Select Pro Bono Matters

• State v. Martin – Representing a former death-row inmate in challenging a capital murder conviction in Alabama. Served as one of the lead counsel at a three-week murder trial in 2019, examining multiple witnesses on direct and cross-examination before a jury.
• Moore v. Harper – Filed U.S. Supreme Court amicus brief for UCLA Law Professor Richard L. Hasen in support of respondents in case considering the so-called “independent state legislature theory.”
• Moody v. NetChoice, LLC / NetChoice, LLC v. Paxton – Filed U.S. Supreme Court amici brief for Professors Richard L. Hasen, Brendan Nyhan and Amy Wilentz in support of internet platforms’ First Amendment challenge to Florida’s and Texas’s social media laws.
• Garcia v. United States – Member of the litigation team that successfully blocked the Trump administration’s attempt to terminate the DACA program and that was honored with California Lawyer’s 2018 Attorneys of the Year award.*
• Ramirez Medina v. DHS – Represented Dreamer in litigation challenging denial of DACA benefits. Argued two motions for preliminary injunction, motion for summary judgment and motion to dismiss before the chief judge of the U.S. District Court, Western District of Washington.*
• Partnered with ACLU to successfully protect a homeowner’s association member’s free speech rights.*
• Represented Cayton Children’s Museum in various matters, including trademark and right of publicity matters.*
• Designed and drafted Lawyers Without Borders’ 2014 Liberia Anti-Human Trafficking training program and its 2013 Kenya Anti-Corruption training program.*
• Successfully obtained the release of $76 million in California state funding for educationally related mental-health services on behalf of a class of mentally disabled children.*
• Led a litigation team in securing a settlement for the full amount of liability ($1.6 million) in a class action lawsuit on behalf of developmentally disabled foster children.*

* Denotes prior firm experience