Category: Articles, Business & Commerce, Entertainment, Journalism, Publishing, Resources for Attorneys, Resources for Experts, Working With Experts What Can a Literary Agent Do for You? Originally written for the National Non-Fiction Authors Association TASA ID: 4153 Published with permission. Backstory: As publishing companies feel increasing financial pressures and pressure from other media competing for leisure time, dollars, more and more editors are being let go. There is no corresponding diminishment of manuscripts flowing into those companies. Literary Agents serve as a filter for publishers. Today agents are considered the gatekeepers of the publishing process. Many publishers will not look at a manuscript or proposal unless it arrives with an agent. Read more
Category: Articles, Crime Investigation, Entertainment, Law Enforcement & Corrections, Resources for Attorneys, Resources for Experts, Safety, Security What Do Active Shooter Threats Mean for the Standard/Duty of Care? TASA ID: 8635 After the tragic Pittsburgh synagogue shooting that claimed 11 lives, the faith-based community and other gathering places have found themselves left with an almost unfathomable, but inevitably relevant question: “what if a shooting happens here next?” Read more
Category: Articles, Business & Commerce, Communications, Entertainment, Marketing, Media, Resources for Attorneys Image/Reputation Damage From Media News Reports: Is it Legally Actionable? TASA ID: 2156 So the operative question here is: “when media exposure of a negative event or activity harms the image or reputation of a person or entity, is it actionable in terms of a lawsuit?” The answer is, “yes and no.” I’ve served as an expert witness in numerous cases relating to media reports that caused damage, representing both the plaintiff’s (those claiming harm) and the defendant’s (those that took the actions that resulted in the media reports). Let’s be clear about one thing first, the media is not the culprit and cannot be the targets of lawsuits if their reports were accurate as to the facts and there was no judgements made in the reports as to guilt or innocence. One might quibble about the extent of the coverage provided or whether it was fair or balanced but the media has a right to report the news as long as it is fair and accurate. Read more
Category: Entertainment, Financial/Economic, Lost Wages Economic Damage Claims in the Entertainment Industry - Speculative or Beyond a Reasonable Certainty TASA ID: 3919 The large majority of lawsuits that involve individuals in the entertainment industry revolve around lost wages or fees. These claims often allege millions of dollars in lost earnings depending on the role the person plays within the industry. Given the exorbitant amount that some actors, writers, directors and producers earn, it's easy to understand how often these claims get made. However, the operative word in this scenario is some. Read more
Category: Entertainment, Intellectual Property Unpublished Authors and The Battle Against Copyright Infringement TASA ID: 3919 Don’t all authors deserve copyright protection? Why do established production companies believe they can use and abuse the up-and-coming writer? Why do studios believe they can just mine the written word of someone who has not yet made a name for him or herself or enjoys the protection of top tier representation? Read more