Whether an entertainment project dispute involves movies, television shows, music or books, protecting legal rights and enforcing legal obligations are of paramount importance. The Blum Law Firm, located in Los Angeles and New York, offers clients with entertainment litigation matters innovative thinking, zealous representation, and a desire to obtain results.
Entertainment industry disputes can give rise to a variety of legal claims. Here are some of the most common claims made in entertainment litigation:
• Fraud is said to occur when someone acts in an intentional or miscalculated way to take advantage or mislead another to their detriment.
• Talent agents and managers owe a duty to their clients. If a talent agent or manager betrays a client, it may amount to a breach of fiduciary duty.
• Most entertainment deals begin with extensive contracts. When one side fails to live up to the duties and obligations outlined in an agreement, the other side may have cause to file a breach of contract suit.
• Individuals have the right to control the commercial use of their image, name and likeness (known as the right of publicity) and may sue if these properties are used without their permission.
• The use of copyrighted or trademarked scripts, recordings, ideas, product dressing and images involve intellectual property considerations and can give rise to infringement claims. The Lanham Act is the U.S. trademark law that forbids trademark infringement, trademark dilution and false advertising.
• The calculation of royalties can be a complex process. Sequels, videos and licensing deals may further complicate matters, resulting in disputes over whether royalties are owed or have been paid in full or are being withheld to unjustly enrich one party.
• A claim based in tort, intentional interference with contract relations, is often brought when a third party interferes with a contract between two entities.
• Another tort claim, intentional interference with prospective economic advantage, may be asserted when someone intentionally makes claims or accusations that drive business or economic advantages away from another party.