In the dynamic world of marketing, celebrity endorsement deals have become a ubiquitous strategy for brands aiming to capture consumer attention and build brand affinity. Think Madden Football or the George Forman Grill. In these instances, the product and the celebrity became synonymous in the minds of consumers. Such partnerships leverage the fame, influence, [...]
Warhold v. Goldsmith–Fair Use and Appropriation Art
This article is a modified exert of Chapter 7 from Mr. Shrum’s book, Guitars, Gavels & Gold, published by Kendell Hunt in 2022. Used with permission. The case of Warhol v. Goldsmith was argued in front of the Supreme Court in October of 2022 and SCOTUS issued its ruling in the matter this past [...]
Oiling the engine of free expression
The concept of fair use, codified at 17 U.S.C. §107, is one of the most important and widely discussed topics in copyright law, and perhaps one of most widely misunderstood as well. The Supreme Court has described the concept of copyright as the engine of free expression. That being true, I would extend the [...]
Creative Lesson’s from Einstein and Quantum Physics
As a true geek, Albert Einstein as always been one of my inspirations. What better way to inspire the artists and creators among us than to let my idol do the speaking. In 1982, a physicist at the University of Paris, Alain Aspect discovered that when two subatomic particles become entangled on some cosmic [...]
Why You Need Legal Representation When Growing Your Business
Finding a good lawyer is essential to any business. Protecting your business from liability and creditors is essential to longevity and success and the groundwork for those mission-critical tasks must be laid in the initial stages. Because of the complex and often misunderstood nature of intellectual properties, finding an attorney familiar with the industry becomes [...]
How Can I Improve My Online Reputation?
Your online reputation is your first introduction to many of your potential customers. You don’t want to start out on the wrong foot or give potential customers the idea that your company is something that’s not. You must create a clear representation of how you want your business to be portrayed. The key is [...]
Entertainment Attorney Shrum interviewed for “Inside Music City” podcast
Our founding partner, Barry Neil Shrum, was recently interviewed for Episode #12 of Inside Music City podcast, which is available on iTunes, Stitcher and Tunein. The one-hour episode delves into Mr. Shrum's reasons for becoming an intellectual property counselor and overall guru, as well as various tidbits of advice for the upcoming songwriter, artist [...]
Backed into a corner, Spotify hints at major copyright battle
By Lucas Evans* Back in mid-July, when streaming giant Spotify was slammed with two new major lawsuits totaling a whopping $366 million, we all tho ught they would try and settle. But the dispute, instead of heading towards an end, seems to be ramping up. The July complaints, filed by Nashville music publisher [...]
Secret Blend of 11 Herbs: Three Things to Know about the 2016 Defend Trade Secrets Acts
By Drew Harris How delicious are those 11 “secret herbs and spices” assembled by Harland Sanders in 1930 for his popular “Kentucky Fried Chicken” sold at his local service station? It was so “finger lickin’ good” popular that the Governor Ruby Laffoon proclaimed him a “Colonel” and he started franchising his chicken business. But rather [...]
Purple Reign: Lessons We Learned From Prince – Part 2
In our first episode of Purple Reign, we saw that even though Prince was known as a “control freak” when it came to many things, he may have let a few things slip, such as the non-existence of a valid will. Notwithstanding that incredibly inconvenient post-mortem faux paux, Prince was in fact obsessively compulsive when [...]