Copyright

Latest Blog Post

Why “Work Made for Hire” Is Not Enough

Calling commissioned work "work made for hire" doesn't make it one. For logos, websites, and software, a present assignment of copyright is often what actually secures ownership and its absence surfaces at the worst moment.

August 17, 2026

Star Trek action figures

Paramount Pictures and Producers of Fan-made Star Trek Film Settle Case

With a high-profile trial set to start on January 31st, 2017, Paramount Pictures and Axanar Productions, the studio behind an upcoming Star Trek fan film, have decided to settle instead.

February 07, 2017

A recording studio - macro photography

Musicians Gwen Stefani and Pharrell Williams Sued for Copyright Infringement

Richard Morrill, a singer-songwriter/hairstylist filed a copyright infringement complaint against musicians and judges from The Voice Gwen Stefani and Pharrell Williams.

January 25, 2017

Synthesizer keyboard and a microphone, background of a recording room

NY Appellate Court Rules: No Common Law Public Performance Right

A New York appeals court ruled on December 20th that there is no right of public performance for sound recordings under New York common law. The ruling comes as part of a class action suit brought by Flo & Eddie, of 60s rock group The Turtles, against Sirius XM. Flo & Eddie sued the satellite radio provider in New York, Florida and California.

January 17, 2017

A Louis Vuitton store

Louis Vuitton Loses Appeal in Infringement Suit Over Joke Bags

Upscale brand Louis Vuitton was dealt a major blow in December in its two-year-old case against My Other Bag, a company that makes an eco-friendly line of canvas totes with prints of popular designer bags on them.

January 11, 2017

Pink and yellow CDs

Capitol Records Petitions U.S. Supreme Court in Long-Running Case

Capitol Records filed a petition for a writ of certiorari to the Supreme Court on December 14th, 2016, asking it to hear a copyright case that could have huge consequences for sites with user-generated music content that hope to be protected from infringement liability.

December 27, 2016

Jersey Boys poster

Team Behind “Jersey Boys” Musical Found Liable for Copyright Infringement

A federal jury decided on November 29th that the Broadway musical Jersey Boys was an infringement of the unpublished autobiography of Tommy DeVito.

December 20, 2016

The Fried Firm Logo

Advocates for the Creative Mind