Entertainment Law, Media Law and Telecoms Law

The Hotel Worker Protection Ordinance (“HWPO”), passed by the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors, became operative April 1, 2026 and its housekeeping training requirements take effect on October 1, 2026.

The Third Circuit (Cornish-Adebiyi v. Caesars Entertainment, Inc.) has now joined the Ninth Circuit (Gibson v. Cendyn Group, LLC) in evaluating dismissal of claims by casino hotel guests...

The Third Circuit's reversal in Cornish-Adebiyi v. Caesars Entertainment marks a pivotal moment in antitrust law, becoming the first federal appellate court to allow algorithmic price-fixing claims to proceed past dismissal. How does this decision differ from the Ninth Circuit's ruling in Gibson v. Cendyn Group, and what specific allegations about AI-enabled pricing tools proved decisive in establishing a plausible horizontal agreement among Atlantic City casino-hotels?

The Department of Justice’s new National Fraud Enforcement Division (“NFED”) has told the market exactly where it intends to focus: (1) public trust and financial integrity, (2) health care, (3) internal revenue, (4) global trade and commerce, and (5) corporate misconduct. NFED plans to target these five priorities in parallel under one roof with a shared data infrastructure, compounding the risk to companies that operate at the intersection of multiple priorities and raising the stakes for any company considering a voluntary self-disclosure of potential misconduct.

When a legal research startup trained its AI on lawyer memos derived from Westlaw's editorial summaries, it sparked a landmark copyright case that exposes how artificial intelligence extracts not just content, but the accumulated judgment and authority publishers spent decades building. As Google referral traffic plummets and AI-generated content farms proliferate, the question shifts from "was a copy made?" to "was the expert ever hired?"

The Federal Trade Commission has found new ways to impose substantial monetary penalties on companies despite a 2021 Supreme Court ruling that eliminated its primary enforcement tool. Two recent settlements totaling over $5 million demonstrate how the agency is leveraging alternative provisions of the FTC Act to pursue civil penalties for consumer protection violations, particularly those involving deceptive marketing practices and fake reviews.

The Protect College Sports Act of 2026 (PCSA), introduced in the Senate on June 2, 2026, by Senators Ted Cruz (R-TX) and Maria Cantwell (D-WA) and joined by Senators Eric Schmitt (R-MO) and Chris Coons (D-DE), represents a comprehensive federal legislative effort to reshape the governance and economics of intercollegiate athletics...

One year after the landmark House v. NCAA settlement reshaped college athletics, legal and business challenges continue to emerge around Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) compensation. From the $2.8 billion in back damages to the new $20.5 million institutional licensing cap, the framework governing student-athlete compensation raises complex questions about oversight, third-party agreements, and Title IX compliance that remain unresolved.

Winston Taylor and Hagens Berman announce that their audit of Power Five Conference revenues has uncovered over $44 million in additional compensation for Division I athletes under the House Revenue Sharing System. The collaborative audit process with the NCAA and major conferences identified previously unreported revenues, resulting in an extra $131,438 per participating school for the 2026-27 academic year.

From digital sampling battles to AI-generated music, copyright law has consistently arrived late to technological disruption in the music industry. This examination traces landmark litigation across sampling, streaming, and artificial intelligence, revealing how rights holders have repeatedly shaped legal frameworks through strategic action rather than waiting for legislative solutions.

Taylor Swift faces a trademark dispute over her album title "The Life of a Showgirl" with performer Maren Flagg, who holds a 12-year registration for "Confessions of a Showgirl." The case centers on reverse confusion claims and whether Swift's global fame could overwhelm Flagg's earlier trademark rights, raising questions about brand dilution and the commercial impact of similar marks in the entertainment industry.

When Taylor Swift released her album 'The Life of a Showgirl,' she faced a trademark infringement lawsuit from Maren Flagg, who claimed the title violated her registered trademark CONFESSIONS OF A SHOWGIRL. The case explores the critical boundary between artistic expression and commercial trademark use, particularly when musical artists transform album releases into merchandise-driven business ventures.