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The UK Chapter of the BHBA Entertainment Law Section

Entertainment law has always had international aspects, but now it is a truly global practice area. And given the exceptional quality of the seminars that the Entertainment Law Section of the Beverly Hills Bar Association puts on each month, we began to consider the idea of opening chapters in other entertainment centers across the world. It fell to me, as the token Brit, to explore the possibility of a UK chapter. After numerous emails and phone calls, I had a list of around 50 UK media lawyers who had expressed quizzical interest (we don’t “do” unbounded enthusiasm). Read more

Congratulations!

Congratulations to Judith Karfiol‘s client Morgan Neville on his Academy Award win for ‘Twenty Feet from Stardom’

Sherlock Holmes Uncovers A Knotty Issue In The Copyright Law

A recent law case filed by the Sir Arthur Connor Doyle estate highlights protectability of fictional literary characters.  Paul D Supnik, of counsel to Rufus-Isaacs, Acland & Grantham LLP was recently quoted briefly on this issue in an Associated Press article discussing this lawsuit. Read more

The New Limited Liability Company Law in California

There’s a new statute in town governing limited liability companies (“LLC’s”)*.  Effective since Jan 1, 2014, it automatically applies to all California LLC’s (and possibly some out of state ones) regardless of when formed. You can’t opt out. Read more

Damn Good Holiday Party!

Extreme thanks to David and Lilly Lewis who hosted our 2013 Holiday Party. Fine food, excellent wine, and the best people!

Neil Fraser’s Article on Scottish Independence

RIAG’s Neil Fraser has written an amusing and insightful article on the legal issues surrounding the push for Scottish Independence. Read more

RIAG Welcomes The Two Pauls

We are very pleased to welcome two highly experienced new lawyers.

Paul D. Supnik practices trademark, copyright, and entertainment law. He advises businesses in the selection and use of brand identities, protects trademarks through registration strategies, enhances value through licensing, and litigates trademark and copyright disputes. Paul has spoken on these subjects in the U.S. and internationally. Industries represented include: Internet, apparel, cosmetic, restaurant, advertising, sporting goods, software, financial, arts, and media. As a bar association leader, Paul has served as president of the Los Angeles Copyright Society, chair of both the Entertainment/IP Law and International Law Sections of the Los Angeles County Bar, and chair of the Los Angeles Lawyer magazine editorial board. Paul has a Martindale-Hubbell Peer Review Rating of “AV” and has been selected by SuperLawyers® in the field of Intellectual Property for the years 2010 through 2013. He also served as an adjunct associate professor at Southwestern Law School from 2008-2011. For more details, see http://www.rufuslaw.com/2013/08/paul-d-supnik/

Paul A. Lenz is certified by the Board of Legal Specialization of the State Bar of California as a specialist in the areas of estate planning, probate and trust law. He limits his practice to these areas including conservatorships, will contests and trust litigation. For more details, see http://www.rufuslaw.com/2013/10/paul-a-lenz/

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Professor Sarah!

Many congratulations to Sarah Conley Odenkirk, who has been appointed the Art Law Adjunct Professor in the Art Business graduate program (a collaboration between the Sotheby’s Institute and the Peter Drucker Business School) at Claremont College. She will remain an Of Counsel member of the firm while pursuing her higher calling.

RIAG beat ABC’s anti-SLAPP motion

We had a good win this week in an interesting libel case against ABC and Chris Cuomo, who did a total hatchet job on our client. See report in the Hollywood Reporter: http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/thr-esq/judge-abcs-20-20-chris-426554

Julia Scott Cited in The Hollywood Reporter

Our partner Julia Scott is cited in The Hollywood Reporter for doing the deal to acquire the movie rights to a true-life Indian spy story for her clients Zafar Hai and Tabrez Noorani. See report in the Hollywood Reporter: http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/indian-filmmakers-option-book-spy-374955