Media

Experience Highlights

• One of the world's leading entertainment companies in the successful defense of a copyright claim based on allegations of copying in popular comic book movie franchises and related properties.
• Leading television news network and two of its on-air anchors in the successful defense against a first-of-its-kind defamation claim based on fake news. Won summary judgment in district court and that decision was affirmed by the US Court of Appeals for the First Circuit.
• HarperCollins Publishers in various antitrust actions involving the pricing of e-books, as well as in private class action and retailer litigation brought against various publishers and Apple.
• Ad hoc group of term lenders to iHeartMedia Inc. in the restructuring of approximately $20 billion of debt issued by iHeartMedia Inc. and its affiliates. Our bankruptcy, litigation, corporate, tax, and regulatory lawyers guided the clients through a complex, multi-year effort, which included a successfully litigated adversary proceeding trial over alleged violations of an indenture covenant; the separation of iHeart and Clear Channel Outdoor Holdings Inc. into independent public companies; and addressing the antitrust issues for iHeart's successful emergence from bankruptcy. Because iHeart operates the largest collection of US broadcast radio stations, our telecommunications lawyers ensured compliance with US Federal Communications Commission rules. Compliance has been complicated by many of the funds or investment advisors being formed in offshore jurisdictions, requiring an FCC declaratory ruling to permit up to 100 percent foreign ownership. Following the template we pioneered in the Cumulus Media restructuring enabled iHeart to emerge from bankruptcy prior to that declaratory ruling.
• One of the country's largest digital news platforms in litigations filed under the Americans with Disabilities Act concerning access to online materials and information.
• LeanIn.org in connection with its partnership with Getty Images to create the Lean In Collection, a library of images devoted to celebrating powerful images of women, girls and the communities who support them; the Ban Bossy Campaign, its partnership with the Girl Scouts, and other ongoing activities relating to the advancement of women and LeanIn.org's mission.
• Investigative journalist in defending her right to maintain the secrecy of her sources in reporting on the Batman movie theater mass shooting, leading to a landmark decision in the New York Court of Appeals.
• Machine Zone in defeating putative nationwide class action suit alleging that a game constituted illegal gambling in violation of consumer protection laws and other state statutes.
• The Saul Zaentz Company and its subsidiary, Middle-earth Enterprises, holder of various rights in The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings, as longtime lead licensing counsel in the negotiation and drafting of numerous film, stage, video game, and merchandising agreements, as well as in the sale of Middle-earth Enterprises to Embracer Freemode Iconic Holding Inc., a subsidiary of the Swedish gaming company, Embracer Group.
• Prince in helping seal a "landmark deal" that put an end to the rock icon's 20-year battle with Warner Records by securing the musician's ownership of his master recordings, including best-selling albums such as Dirty Mind, Controversy, 1999, and Purple Rain, in exchange for allowing Warner Records certain licensing rights.