A raven’s disturbingly fixed stare at a coffee shop brings up thoughts of Edgar Allan Poe's poem and Alan Parsons Project’s music. In both the poem and the song, refrain of "nevermore" drones on incessantly without regard to what’s going on around it. Some clients take a "nevermore" approach when dealing with their attorneys. They research an issue, perhaps ask AI for a contract draft, or use a standard form and ask an attorney to approve it. But standard forms and AI can produce "standard" results, and most business relationships aren't standard. It's the attorney who adds the art and experience necessary to create a customized solution that creates a solution that meets the client’s goals.
Read MoreWith doorbell and security cameras seeming to be everywhere, the possibility of them recording conversations and events without proper consent has increased. Audio recording in particular can raise serious legal issues under wiretapping laws which can impose large fines and jail time for violations. These laws vary from state-to-state, and frequently, providing notice that someone may be recorded isn't sufficient. Before enabling audio recording businesses, property owners, and individuals should understand what they can -- and can't -- legally record. Read our blog to learn when “private eyes” can become legally risky “private ears.”
Read MoreStevie Wonder’s “Signed, Sealed, Delivered (I’m Yours)” isn’t about the seals that live in the ocean. Although the song is about committing to a romantic relationship, it also sounds like something an attorney might write about a contracting party. Long before people routinely signed their names to legal documents, wealthy landowners, nobles, churches, and other institutions used seals to show that a document was authentic. Stating that a document is signed “under seal” might seem anachronistic, and often that language is ignored. But it shouldn't be. Read our blog to learn how signing under seal can dramatically affect a party's legal rights and obligations and why it usually isn't advisable.
Read MoreThrough talent, strategic branding, grit, and adaptability, Dolly Parton rose from poverty in rural Tennessee to become a global icon. Her entertainment career spanned recorded and live music, film, television, and publishing, and she also pursued a wide range of successful commercial ventures, including a theme park, food products, beauty and fragrance products, apparel, and home goods. Parton gave by to her community with her philanthropic initiatives, most notably the Imagination Library, which promotes early childhood literacy. Read our blog to learn how businesses, as well as musicians, can learn from Parton’s example as she sustained a 60-year career while remaining true to her roots, values, and brand.
Read MoreA music streaming subscription often doesn't give someone the right to can play that music for customers or at events. Businesses that use recorded music may need to navigate complicated copyright laws, streaming-service terms of service, and licenses from multiple performing rights organizations. Copyright law can treat even a “private” company event or apartment-community gathering as a public performance. A single recording may involve two different copyrights, and a playlist can require dozens of licenses, and licenses that worked in one context might not be sufficient in another. Read our blog to learn what businesses should consider before using recorded music at their establishments.
Read MoreIn HARDY’s “McArthur,” four generations are connected by the same family land, but only one person ultimately has to decide whether to keep it or sell it. Real-life heirs property can be much messier: as property passes from one generation to the next, ownership can become divided among siblings, cousins, children, and grandchildren who may have very different ideas about how to deal with expenses, repairs, liens, financing, and whether to sell. Read our blog to learn about heirs property and how a written and recorded agreement can help heirs address expenses, responsibilities, decision-making, and future transfers before family land becomes a family dispute.
Read MoreAs more states pass laws encouraging native landscaping, the language in a declaration or deed may no longer completely inform property owners or association boards of their rights.
Read MoreMusicians traveling in the US are fortunate that federal law provides rules that help them bring their valuable instruments into the cabin. However, musicians should remember that their instrument will use their carry-on baggage allotment and is treated the same as all other carry-on baggage.
Read MoreIt's more than an artistic decision when a coffee shop's ad features a simple photo of coffee with the patrons in the shop blurred in the background. Although the shop may have purchased the copyright from the photographer, that doesn't mean the shop can use people's faces in an ad. By blurring the people's images, the shop need not worry about obtaining consents. On the other hand, since a photographer owns the copyrights in photos they take, even a person who is featured in the photo can't post or copy it without consent. Read our newest article to learn about these and other pitfalls individuals, businesses, and music groups may face when they post photos on social media or use them in promotional materials.
Read MoreI bought a bird feeder and mounted it on a tall, narrow pole because I wanted to keep the squirrels away from the birdseed only to discover the squirrels had no trouble climbing the pole. So, I bought a cone-shaped device called a baffle that's supposed to limit how high squirrels can climb. But that didn't quite go as planned. The squirrels quickly learned they could jump on top of the baffle and use it like a springboard to launch themselves onto the feeder. Then, on a rainy day, I saw a very content squirrel was comfortably eating the birdseed that had fallen to the ground while staying completely dry under the “squirrel umbrella” I had unwittingly installed.
People are naturally optimistic when starting a new business relationship or band -- that’s the way it should be. Most people may not have to deal with talented squirrels, but the hard reality is that all relationships changes over time. By working with an experienced attorney who can ask the hard questions at the beginning of a relationship and help develop a solid agreement that can help future-proof the relationship through its successes and challenges.
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