What We Do
In the entertainment litigation arena, the Firm’s experiences are vast and significant. It represents clients in the film and motion picture industries, radio, television, Broadway, publishing, museums, arts and recording industries. While the firm principally represents client in New York entertainment litigations, its representations have spanned the country and are most prevalent in New York and California. The areas of entertainment litigation are diverse and include contractual disputes, intellectual property and right of privacy litigations, tort, fraud, defamation, First Amendment and all other areas of entertainment commercial litigation. The clients in the entertainment field include:
- Film, TV, and stage studios and companies
- Celebrities
- Broadway production companies, producers and directors
- Recording artists/studios and record labels
- Agents and managers
- Memorabilia companies
- Production and post-production studios
- Books, newspaper and magazine publishers
- Singers, songwriters and performers
- Art auction houses
- Web based and internet entertainment entities
- Authors
- Art schools
- Models and supermodels
- Artists and bands
- Photographers
The Firm has been quoted in the media on differing aspects of entertainment and sports litigation in numerous magazines, periodicals, trade journals and newspapers. Mr. Roth, the Firm’s founder, is regularly on television regarding celebrities in the media and their legal issues (see In The News page). Certain of its results have received regional prominence and have been cited and discussed in legal journals. Mr. Roth, its founder, is a member of the Litigation and Entertainment Committees of the American Bar Association and as a member of Volunteer Lawyers for the Arts, where he regularly leads clinics to consult and offer legal advice and representation to artists on a pro bono basis.
Past Success
- Successfully represented internationally recognized singer, songwriter, recording artist, actor and reality show judge in several litigations involving former agent’s stealing of millions of dollars, including two litigations in federal court, one litigation in bankruptcy court and a fourth criminal litigation in federal court.
- Successfully represented major record label in New York entertainment litigation commenced against multi-platinum rap artist for his failure to pay millions of dollars in licensing and other fees to the label.
- Successfully represented major record label in action against various companies including but not limited to karaoke, clock, video licensing and retail store businesses for copyright infringement before the United States District Court in New York based on allegations that the companies were using dozens of songs without authorization.
- Successfully represented artists, from multi-platinum to new artists, in claims against record labels over the non-payment of royalties.
- Successfully represented agencies in disputes with recording artists over the payment of fees for certain international appearances
- Successfully represented multi-platinum recording artists group in an action against a major metropolitan site where they performed for failure to pay all amounts due for performance.
- Successfully represented major record label in dispute over lost negatives of the “B-52s” which include the negative of the photograph of the band’s “Greatest Hits” album cover.
- Successfully defended an eight day jury trial in the Supreme Court of the State of New York, County of New York, on behalf of an art graduate school relating to the loss, destruction and wrongful copying of valuable sculptures and other pieces of fine art.
- Successfully dismissed New York entertainment litigation brought by promoter against hip-hop band and its artists.
- Successfully resolved dispute over videotaping of celebrity wedding: Michael Douglas & Catherine Zeta Jones v. Martinez.
- Successfully tried matter before a jury in the New York State Supreme Court involving rap artist P. Diddy (f/k/a Puff Daddy) and “Shine,” his bodyguard: Steinmetz.
- Represented major movie production company in litigation involving major motion picture.
- Represented major movie production company in dispute over the rights to profits from all creative works that evolved from the movie “Mash,” including “Trapper John, M.D.,” “After Mash” and related works.
- Victorious on a motion to dismiss claim brought by recording studio against movie/ Broadway production company: Unplugged Management Group v. The Lion King Production Company.
- Represented major record label in successfully dismissing action by independent record label.
- Represented film production company in a New York entertainment litigation in connection with real estate dispute.
- Represented record production company in real estate litigation.
