On Saturday, April 3, 2010, the Arts, Communications, Entertainment & Sports (“ACES”) Law Section of the State Bar of Michigan is co-hosting with the Right to Write Fund, in association with the Stanford Fair Use Project and Grand Valley State University, a lecture on copyright law basics for writers followed by a panel discussion on the recent fair use case Rowling v. RDR Books.  Joining the panel discussion will be Rodger Rapport, owner of RDR Books, and Julie Ahrens, Assistant Director of the Stanford Fair Use Project.  The program will run from approximately 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. at the DeVos Center, 401 West Fulton, Lecture Hall GV, Grand Rapids, MI 49504.

The Seminar will provide information and …read more

In May 2006, Cingular Wireless issued a press release containing information about Cingular’s preparedness for disasters, such as hurricanes, through its “MACH1” and “MACH2” mobile command centers.  Playing off the “MACH” name, the press release compares the significance of Cingular’s mobile command centers with the achievement of legendary test pilot Chuck Yeager in breaking the sound barrier and achieving Mach 1.

General Yeager sued bringing claims for, among other things, violation of California common law and statutory right of publicity.  Cingular, now AT&T, brought a motion for summary disposition on the grounds that (1) the First Amendment protects the press release because it contains newsworthy matter and is not commercial speech, and (2) the use of Yeager’s name was “fleeting and …read more

Back in March I participated in a panel discussion called “Remixing the Rules” on independent filmmaking and the Fair Use Doctrine, as part of the 47^th annual Ann Arbor Film Festival, at the WORK Gallery in Ann Arbor.  I previously posted about it here and here.  A video of that panel discussion is now available via YouTube.  It’s divided into six parts, due to YouTube time limits.

A brief trailer follows:

–Matt

CBS Interactive Inc. v. National Football League Players Association is the most recent case permitting the commercial use of professional athlete’s names and statistics without permission.

CBS Interactive operates the website CBSSports.com.  The NFL Player’s Association acts as the exclusive collective bargaining representative for active players in the NFL.  Among other things, the NFLPA has the right to license the use of the individual players’ names, signatures, facsimile, voices, pictures, photographs, likenesses, and biographical information in connection with “group licensing programs” involving six or more players (e.g., fantasy sports, video games, etc.).  NFLPA assigned this right to Players, Inc. in exchange for royalties.  Players, Inc. in turn licenses this right to companies like CBS to use in programs such …read more

As readers of this blog know, I’m Chair this year of the Arts and Entertainment Section of the State Bar of Michigan, otherwise known as ACES.  Below is a press release for one of our upcoming events.  I hope you can make it.

–Matt

Free Educational Panels at the 47^th Ann Arbor Film Festival

The Arts, Communications, Entertainment & Sports (“ACES”) Law Section of the State Bar of Michigan is co-hosting with the Ann Arbor Film Festival (“AAFF”) two free educational panels during the 47^th Ann Arbor Film Festival.

The “Michigan in Motion” panel discussion is taking place on Wednesday, March 25, 2009, from 1 – 2:30 p.m. at the WORK Gallery in Ann Arbor.  The new film tax incentives in Michigan created a …read more