Blogs

Week In Review

By Elissa Hecker posted 3 days ago
By Giancarla Sambo Edited by Elissa D. Hecker Below, for your browsing convenience, the categories are divided into: Entertainment, Arts, Sports, Technology/Media, and General News: Entertainment U.S. Copyright Royalty Board Proposes Extending Physical and Download Mechanical Rates Through 2032 The U.S. Copyright Royalty Board proposed extending the current royalty rates for physical music, downloads, ringtones, and bundles through 2032, with inflation adjustments. Filed by major labels, A2IM, and publishers, it keeps the per-track rate rising with the CPI, though groups like the Songwriters Guild of America ...

Week In Review

By Elissa Hecker posted 10 days ago
By Jessie Schuster Edited by Elissa D. Hecker Entertainment Taylor Swift Prevails in Poet's Plagiarism Lawsuit as Florida Judge Dismisses Case With Prejudice A federal judge dismissed, with prejudice, a lawsuit filed by Florida poet Kimberly Marasco alleging that Taylor Swift lifted phrases from her poetry books for songs including "The Man" and "The Great War." The judge ruled that Marasco's poems didn't contain protectable expression and that she failed to plausibly plead copying, closing the case just days after Swift's wedding to Travis Kelce. https://variety.com/2026/music/news/taylor-swift-wins-plagiarism-poet-lawsuit-florida-judge-1236802619/ ...

Week In Review

By Elissa Hecker posted 17 days ago
By Christine Coleman Edited by Elissa D. Hecker Entertainment Blake Lively Seeks $8 Million in Legal Bills in Dispute With Justin Baldoni Lawyers for Blake Lively asked for more than $8 million in legal fees and related costs after fighting a defamation lawsuit that Justin Baldoni filed as part of the legal battle over the making of the movie “It Ends With Us.” The figure represents only part of what Lively has spent on the litigation. https://www.nytimes.com/2026/06/30/movies/blake-lively-justin-baldoni-legal-fees.html A Firm Run by Trump Allies Is Organizing the 250th. Their Fee? Unclear. Event Strategies, ...

Week In Review

By Elissa Hecker posted 24 days ago
By Haley Lyons Edited by Elissa D. Hecker Entertainment Customers Sue Madison Square Garden Over Hacking of 26 Million Records Three class-action lawsuits were filed against Madison Square Garden after ShinyHunters, a hacking group, allegedly published more than 26 million stolen records, including customer and corporate data, following an unsuccessful ransom demand. https://www.nytimes.com/2026/06/23/nyregion/madison-square-garden-data-breach-hackers.html Weinstein Will Be Resentenced in California Rape Case A California appellate court upheld Harvey Weinstein’s 2022 rape conviction but ruled he must be ...

Week In Review

By Elissa Hecker posted 30 days ago
By Giancarla Sambo Edited by Elissa D. Hecker Below, for your browsing convenience, the categories are divided into: Entertainment, Arts, Sports, Technology/Media, and General News: Entertainment Judge Tosses Out Dawn Richard's Lawsuit Against Sean 'Diddy' Combs A federal judge dismissed most of singer Dawn Richard's lawsuit against Sean “Diddy” Combs, ruling that her claims of abuse, groping, and false imprisonment were filed too late under New York law. Judge Katherine Polk Failla called the allegations "execrable" if true, but said the law required dismissal; one claim under the Gender-Motivated Violence Act was ...

Week In Review

By Elissa Hecker posted 06-15-2026
By Jessie Schuster Edited by Elissa D. Hecker Entertainment Tyra Banks Sues Netflix Over America’s Next Top Model Documentary, Alleging Defamation Tyra Banks has filed a lawsuit against Netflix, claiming a documentary about America’s Next Top Model falsely portrayed her and damaged her reputation. The suit alleges that the streaming platform published misleading and defamatory statements about her conduct during the show's production. https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2026/jun/15/tyra-banks-sues-netflix-americas-next-top-model-documentary Blake Lively’s Legal Fees to Be Paid for by Justin Baldoni, ...

DEI, Legal Education, and the Rule of Law: A Narrower Path for the ABA

By Michael Diederich posted 06-09-2026
DEI, Legal Education, and the Rule of Law: A Narrower Path for the ABA By Michael Diederich, Jr. The American Bar Association is at a difficult crossroads. Its Council of the Section of Legal Education and Admissions to the Bar has moved toward repeal of Standard 206, the law-school accreditation standard requiring schools to demonstrate a commitment to diversity and inclusion. At the same time, the ABA is considering changes to Standards 205 and 207, addressing nondiscrimination and disability accommodations, and Standard 303(c), addressing education on bias, cross-cultural competency, and racism. For NYSBA members, the issue should not be framed ...

Week In Review

By Elissa Hecker posted 06-08-2026
By Christine Coleman Edited by Elissa D. Hecker Entertainment After Musicians Revolt, Trump Plans Rally With Singer of ‘God Bless the U.S.A.’ President Trump said that he would hold a rally in Washington with performances from the country singer Lee Greenwood and the tenor Christopher Macchio after most artists dropped out of a series of concerts planned by a Trump-backed group in honor of the 250th anniversary of American independence. The confusion surrounding the concerts planned for the National Mall highlights the partisan tensions around national celebrations of America’s 250th anniversary. https://www.nytimes.com/2026/06/05/arts/music/freedom-250-trump-lee-greenwood-christopher-macchio.html ...

Week In Review

By Elissa Hecker posted 06-01-2026
By Haley Lyons Edited by Elissa D. Hecker Entertainment Universal Music Group and TikTok Strike New Multi-Year Licensing Deal - With Expanded AI Protections For Artists and Songwriters Universal Music Group and TikTok reached a new multi-year licensing agreement that expands marketing opportunities for artists and includes enhanced protections against unauthorized A.I.-generated music. The agreement ended a months-long standoff between UMG and TikTok. https://www.musicbusinessworldwide.com/universal-music-group-and-tiktok-strike-new-multi-year-licensing-deal-with-expanded-ai-protections-for-artists-and-songwriters/https://www.musicbusinessworldwide.com/universal-music-group-and-tiktok-strike-new-multi-year-licensing-deal-with-expanded-ai-protections-for-artists-and-songwriters/ ...

Week In Review

By Elissa Hecker posted 05-25-2026
By Giancarla Sambo Edited by Elissa D. Hecker Below, for your browsing convenience, the categories are divided into: Entertainment, Arts, Sports, Technology/Media, and General News: Entertainment Oscars Ban AI in Acting and Writing Categories, Overhaul International Feature Film Rules The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences announced major rule changes for the 99th Oscars (2027), including a ban on AI-generated performances and scripts. Only roles “demonstrably performed by humans with their consent” are eligible, excluding AI likenesses like Tilly Norwood. The changes also let actors receive multiple nominations in ...

Week In Review

By Elissa Hecker posted 05-18-2026
By Jessie Schuster Edited by Elissa D. Hecker Entertainment Amazon MGM Studios Sued by Producer Over Alleged Pay-to Play Scheme A producer sued Amazon MGM Studios, alleging the company operated a pay-to-play scheme that improperly required financial contributions or incentives tied to production opportunities. https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/business/business-news/amazon-mgm-studios-sued-by-producer-1236595069/ Paramount Says It’s All in on Theatrical Distribution as It Aims to Stave Off California Merger Challenge Paramount defended its commitment to theatrical film distribution while responding ...

EASL Blog

By Elissa Hecker posted 05-11-2026
By Christine Coleman Edited by Elissa D. Hecker Entertainment Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni Settle Their Legal Dispute, Mostly Blake Lively has settled her legal claims against Justin Baldoni’s production company, the actors announced in a joint statement, after she had accused him of unleashing an online retaliation campaign against her. The settlement was announced as the actors’ legal teams were gearing up for a contentious and high-profile trial scheduled to start on May 18 in Federal District Court in Manhattan. The joint statement came abruptly, with no hint of settlement talks during a hearing last week, and did ...

Climate Change Blog 62

By Carl Howard posted 05-08-2026
Climate Change Blog 62 – Facts on the Ground In mid-March, Hawaii was pounded for over a week by relentless storms with 10 to 14 inches of rain falling on Oahu unleashing severe flooding. The storm moved to Maui, prompting more flash flood warnings. The s evere rainfall caused the largest flooding in Oahu in 20 years prompting the issuance of evacuation orders and the rescue of 196. The torrential rainfall filled the Wahiawa Reservoir, with just a few feet below the top of a dam in in northern Oahu, prompting local officials to declare the dam at “imminent risk of failure.” The cost of the damage caused by the storm was estimated to be over $1 billion in ...

Week In Review

By Elissa Hecker posted 05-04-2026
By Haley Lyons Edited by Elissa D. Hecker Entertainment Trademark (Taylor’s Version): Swift Strikes Back Against Deepfakes by Trademarking Her Voice and Likeness to Combat AI Misuse Taylor Swift filed multiple trademark applications to protect her voice and image, including sound marks of her voice saying “Hey, it’s Taylor Swift,” and “Hey, it’s Taylor,” to guard against unauthorized AI-generated uses of her likeness. https://www.digitalmusicnews.com/2026/04/27/taylor-swift-trademark-voice-likeness/ ‘Dances With Wolves’ Actor Is Sentenced to Life in Prison Nathan Chasing Horse was sentenced to ...

Week In Review

By Elissa Hecker posted 04-26-2026
By Giancarla Sambo Edited by Elissa D. Hecker Below, for your browsing convenience, the categories are divided into: Entertainment, Arts, Sports, Technology/Media, and General News: Entertainment SAG-AFTRA Resumes Talks With AMPTP: AI & Pension Funding Details Need Work as Parties Seek to Close Deal Before DGA Negotiations Actors are returning to negotiations with Hollywood studios after pausing in March for the WGA strike. SAG-AFTRA and AMPTP will resume talks, aiming for a tentative deal before DGA’s May 11 start. Sources say that they are close, but some issues remain, notably AI protections. Executive ...

Week In Review

By Elissa Hecker posted 04-20-2026
By Jessie Schuster Edited by Elissa D. Hecker Entertainment Live Nation Lost in Court. Here’s What It Means For Concerts A federal jury found that Live Nation Entertainment illegally monopolized parts of the concert industry through its control of venues, promotion, and its ticketing arm Ticketmaster, potentially inflating fees and limiting competition. The ruling does not immediately change ticketing, but it opens a remedies phase where courts could impose penalties, structural changes or even force divestitures that reshape how concerts are sold and promoted in the U.S. https://www.vox.com/today-explained-newsletter/485946/live-nation-monopoly-verdict-tickets ...

Week In Review

By Elissa Hecker posted 04-13-2026
By Christine Coleman Edited by Elissa D. Hecker Entertainment Universal Music and Believe Reach Settlement in Copyright Infringement Dispute — $500 Million Case Dismissed With Prejudice After 17 months, Universal Music Group and Believe officially resolved their $500 million copyright infringement dispute. Both parties confirmed their lawsuit-ending agreement today, after the presiding judge stayed the case in late December. The litigants have not publicly disclosed the terms at issue, but they did move to dismiss the case with prejudice. https://www.digitalmusicnews.com/2026/04/03/universal-music-believe-settlement/ ...

Private Tour of Bonhams Auction House new space

By Elissa Hecker posted 04-10-2026
Please join EASL's Fine Arts Committee on Monday, April 20 at 4pm for a private tour of Bonhams auction house at their recently opened New York City flagship location in the magnificent Steinway Building at 111 West 57th Street. On display will be the American Art collection , in anticipation of the upcoming auction. Thank you to Fine Arts Committee member Deborah Hrbeck for making this possible. Limited slots available, RSVP required. RSVP link below Look forward to seeing you. Carol Steinberg Co-Chair Fine Arts Committee forms.office.com/r/UVPZGmpsP0

Week In Review

By Elissa Hecker posted 04-06-2026
By Haley Lyons Edited by Elissa D. Hecker Entertainment Time for Another Supreme Court Battle? Major Labels (and BMG) Move to Take Over Vetter v. Resnick Copyright Recapture Case, Spearhead Appeal Major record labels and BMG moved to take over the Vetter v. Resnik case and plan to seek a higher-court appeal after a Fifth Circuit ruling held that copyright recapture rights apply worldwide. https://www.digitalmusicnews.com/2026/03/27/vetter-v-resnik-major-labels-appeal/ Blake Lively’s Retaliation Case Heads to Trial Without Harassment Claims A federal judge dismissed Blake Lively’s sexual harassment ...

EASL Blog

By Elissa Hecker posted 03-30-2026
By Giancarla Sambo Edited by Elissa D. Hecker Below, for your browsing convenience, the categories are divided into: Entertainment, Arts, Sports, Technology/Media, and General News: Entertainment Bill Cosby Loses Sex Assault Lawsuit and Faces a $59 Million Judgment On March 23, 2026, a Santa Monica jury found Bill Cosby liable for the 1972 drugging and sexual assault of Donna Motsinger, awarding her $59.25 million. This follows years of legal battles, with Cosby's conviction overturned in 2021 on procedural grounds. In a deposition, Cosby described his net worth as declining "like a submarine with no motor" ...