Media & Entertainment

Expert Analysis

• Ill. Case Sheds Light On Cross-State Anti-SLAPP Conflicts

  

  An Illinois state appeals court's recent decision in Basile v. Prometheus Global Media calls attention to the unique jurisdictional challenges that arise when opposing parties invoke anti-SLAPP statutes from different states in the course of litigation, says Phillip Zisook at Schoenberg Finkel.

• DC Circ. Lobbyist Ruling May Lead To 1st Amendment Clarity

  

  The D.C. Circuit’s recent opinion in Akhmetshin v. Browder, leaving the government contacts exception's application to foreign lobbyists unsettled, may compel courts to clarify the availability of First Amendment defamation defenses to foreign companies involved in lobbying, says Joe Meadows at Bean Kinney.

• 4 Legal Industry Trends Litigation Financiers Are Watching

  

  Some recent litigation developments demonstrate efforts by law firms and their clients to search for opportunities in the COVID-19 economic fallout, while others — such as the rise of contingency fee arrangements — reflect acceleration of tendencies that were already underway, says William Weisman at Therium Capital.

• A Lawyer's Guide To Setting Well-Being Goals In 2021

  

  In the face of rising client demands due to the pandemic and the changing regulatory environment, and with remote work continuing for the foreseeable future, lawyers should invest in their well-being by establishing inspiring yet realistic goals for 2021 — one month at a time, says Krista Larson at Morgan Lewis.

• 4 Rulings That Will Shape Clickwrap Litigation In 2021

  

  Clickwrap litigation is expected to increase this year, following several 2020 judgments that show the courts' growing sophistication on assessing online user agreements and a continued surge in user growth fueled by COVID-19, says Brian Powers of PactSafe.

• Federal Practice Takeaways From Spike Lee, Prince IP Ruling

  

  The Second Circuit's recent ruling in Brandon v. NPG Records, barring copyright infringement claims already litigated in a Florida federal court in favor of Spike Lee and Prince’s estate, offers lessons on supplementary copyright registration and significant federal procedural issues, say Matthew Nelles and Adriana Kostencki at Nelles Kostencki.

• Keyword Searches To Improve Your Privilege Doc Review

  

  "Confidential" and other search terms commonly used to locate privileged documents during e-discovery are pretty ineffective, so practitioners should consider including specific types of keywords that are demonstrably better at targeting privilege, say Robert Keeling at Sidley and Rishi Chhatwal at AT&T.

• 6 Advertising Law Trends To Watch In 2021

  

  For the world of advertising, 2021 will bring new challenges and considerations shaped not only by the ongoing pandemic, but also by new legal developments regarding social media, cannabis and consumer privacy, say Jason Gordon and Casey Perrino at Reed Smith.

• ABA Approves Remote Practice, But Questions Remain

  

  Lawyers working remotely during the pandemic while physically outside the jurisdictions in which they are licensed will find some comfort in a recent American Bar Association opinion sanctioning such practice, but there is ambiguity regarding the contours of what's allowed, say attorneys at Harris Wiltshire.

• Keys To Creating Standout Law Firm Thought Leadership

  

  Whether geared toward a global audience or a particular client, a law firm's articles, blog posts and client alerts should strive to be original by harnessing a few editorial tools and following the right distribution sequence, say Steven Andersen and Tal Donahue at Infinite Global.

• PPP Enforcement Issues To Watch In 2021

  

  Derek Adams at Potomac Law, and Ellen London and Steven Deolus at Alto Litigation, examine the evolution of the Paycheck Protection Program, the impact of constant changes to eligibility and reporting rules, and enforcement developments to expect this year.

• Perspectives

  Judges On Race: The Power Of Discretion In Criminal Justice

  

  Judges should take into consideration the several points of law enforcement and prosecutorial discretion — from traffic stops to charging decisions and sentencing recommendations — that often lead to race-based disparate treatment before a criminal defendant even reaches the courthouse, say Judge Juan Villaseñor and Laurel Quinto at Colorado's Eighth Judicial District Court.

• 5 Attorney Business Development Tips For The New Year

  

  Lawyers should remember that the basics of interpersonal relationships have not changed despite the completely virtual environment caused by the pandemic, and should leverage the new year as an excuse to connect with clients in several ways, say Megan Senese and Courtney Hudson at Pillsbury.

• TCPA Future Uncertain After A Tumultuous 2020

  

  The Telephone Consumer Protection Act saw important legal developments over the course of 2020, but the law's ultimate constitutionality and the future of consumer protection from unwanted calls will likely hinge on the U.S. Supreme Court's upcoming ruling in Facebook v. Duguid, says Scott Shaffer at Olshan Frome.

• 10 Ways Antitrust Scrutiny Is Heating Up In 2021

  

  Companies must prepare to navigate a storm of antitrust forces on the horizon, with the potential for more aggressive antitrust enforcement under the Biden administration, including agency focus on acquisitions of nascent competitors, the life sciences industry and monetary remedies, say attorneys at Cooley.