Entertainment Law, Media Law and Telecoms Law

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 FTC settled charges against Publishing.com LLC for $1.5 million over allegations that the company misled consumers about potential earnings from its self-publishing programs. The case addresses three critical advertising law issues: unsubstantiated earnings claims, deceptive refund guarantees with hidden conditions, and undisclosed material connections in consumer testimonials and reviews.

A federal court has issued a nationwide injunction blocking the NCAA from enforcing its new five-year eligibility rule against Division I athletes who graduated high school in 2022. The ruling creates immediate compliance challenges for athletic departments as they navigate roster management, revenue-sharing caps, and potential penalties while the NCAA appeals the decision.

Sometimes, the purpose of a lawsuits isn’t financial recovery. Sometimes a plaintiff may file suit to spark public interest, to prompt institutional change, or simply to obtain an apology where none was given. Whatever the motivation, the overarching goal can eclipse personal interest entirely. In Dearica Hamby’s lawsuit against the WNBA and the Las Vegas Aces, her public statements made clear that the fight was always about something much bigger than herself.[

Vice President and Chief Administrative Officer of Arthur M. Blank Sports and Entertainment, Nick Brown, discusses his transition from private practice to the business side of sports, sharing insights on overseeing operations for an ownership group with franchises spanning multiple professional leagues. The conversation explores the skills that shaped his career, the unique challenges of working in a multi-team sports organization, and the evolving legal and business landscape of professional sports.

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?

Anthony discusses how artificial intelligence streamlines restaurant operations while also introducing significant legal risks regarding intellectual property, data privacy, and hiring biases.

Marvel Studios' ad agency faces a substantial fine for unauthorized outdoor advertising in San Diego's Gaslamp Quarter during Comic-Con. The incident highlights the complex regulatory landscape marketers must navigate when deploying non-traditional advertising campaigns in public spaces, where local permit requirements and enforcement actions can result in significant financial penalties.

Vice President and Chief Administrative Officer of Arthur M. Blank Sports and Entertainment, Nick Brown, discusses his transition from private practice to the business side of sports, sharing insights on overseeing operations for an ownership group with franchises spanning multiple professional leagues. The conversation explores the skills that shaped his career, the unique challenges of working in a multi-team sports organization, and the evolving legal and business landscape of professional sports.

Madison Square Garden Sports Corp. has filed a confidential Form 10 registration statement with the SEC to separate its New York Knicks and New York Rangers franchises into two distinct publicly traded companies. The proposed spin-off aims to provide each organization with enhanced strategic and financial flexibility, a more defined business focus, and clearer investment characteristics.