Back in the 1940’s assignments by independent contractors could be permanent and irrevocable. Things changed in 1976, when Congress overhauled the Copyright Act.
Generally, copyright protects the specific expression of ideas, such as the arrangement and presentation of visual elements, but it does not protect general concepts or styles.
Public Domain Day is celebrated on January 1st and commemorates the expiration of copyright protection for certain creative works.
Check out our year in review in this special article of FishBits 2024 Wrapped!
In 2021, artist Mason Rothschild created a series of non-fungible tokens (NFTs) that depict fuzzy handbags called “MetaBirkins” which he offered for sale on the NFT marketplace OpenSea. In 2022, the French luxury brand Hermès, known for its “Birkin” handbags, filed a lawsuit for trademark infringement and other claims against Rothschild.
In the US, Thanksgiving is quickly approaching. For many, Thanksgiving and (American) football go hand-in-hand, with the Detroit Lions’ game as much a staple of the holiday as turkey and pie. However, this year’s game arrives amid controversy: Lions’ legendary Hall of Famer Barry Sanders is facing a lawsuit alleging copyright infringement.
After three years of litigation, a court has held that the “beat that goes on” for Cher’s right to continue receiving royalties on songs created during her marriage to Sonny Bono, despite attempts by Sonny’s widow, Mary Bono, to invoke federal copyright termination rights to end those payments.
Watching scary movies is a time-honored Halloween tradition, and one of the greatest movies to watch this time of year is “Ghostbusters” which premiered in 1984.
Halloween is coming up at the end of this month, and we are celebrating a little early with the spooky copyright story of Jap Herron!
In 2023, California artist Joe Morford lost his copyright infringement lawsuit against Italian artist Maurizio Cattelan. Morford claimed that Cattelan’s viral artwork “Comedian,” which features a banana duct-taped to a wall, was a copy of his own work, “Banana and Orange.”
Fishman Stewart attorneys are dedicated to the practice of intellectual property law. As strategic advisors to CEOs and senior executives throughout the world, we help maximize the value of our client’s “intellectual capital.”
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