As a lawyer who represents clients in immigration courts, I often see something surprising happen during asylum hearings. Cases that begin as administrative proceedings sometimes evolve into something that feels almost like a full-blown criminal trial—the kind of intense litigation people associate with famous courtroom battles such as the O. J. Simpson murder trial....
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Through my work with producers and directors, I am sometimes approached by actors who are primarily looking for connections. They would reach out hoping that I might introduce them to producers, directors, or casting professionals....
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Deferred compensation is one of the central economic mechanisms of independent filmmaking. It allows production to move forward in the absence of immediate financing and creates the sense that risk is being shared collectively by everyone involved in the project. Yet in litigation the phrase “deferred pay” rarely functions as filmmakers expect. Courts do not evaluate the emotional or collaborative context in which the agreement was signed; they analyze whether a legally enforceable obligation to pay for completed services exists. When work has already been performed and the agreement does not clearly and precisely make payment contingent upon a defined...
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Film production has always involved risk. Financing can collapse, creative visions can fracture, and distribution can fall apart late in the process. Historically, however, these risks were largely internal and predictable. They arose from contracts, business relationships, or market forces. What has changed is the location of risk. Today, some of the most serious legal exposure in film production arises not from the script or the financing structure, but from social media. Informal posts, interviews, reposts, and commentary made outside official promotional channels can now determine whether a project remains stable or becomes legally compromised. From a legal perspective, social media is no...
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Many businesses believe trademark protection begins with filing. In reality, that belief is what causes most trademark failures. Trademark problems rarely come from not filing. They come from filing without a strategy. Online trademark mills thrive on the idea that registration itself creates protection. They sell speed, low price, and convenience, but they remove the most important step in trademark law: the IP strategy plan that must exist before anything is filed....
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Film production has always involved risk. Financing can collapse, creative visions can fracture, and distribution can fall apart late in the process. Historically, however, these risks were largely internal and predictable. They arose from contracts, business relationships, or market forces. What has changed is the location of risk. Today, some of the most serious legal exposure in film production arises not from the script or the financing structure, but from social media. Informal posts, interviews, reposts, and commentary made outside official promotional channels can now determine whether a project remains stable or becomes legally compromised. From a legal perspective, social media is no...
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Many businesses believe trademark protection begins with filing. In reality, that belief is what causes most trademark failures. Trademark problems rarely come from not filing. They come from filing without a strategy. Online trademark mills thrive on the idea that registration itself creates protection. They sell speed, low price, and convenience, but they remove the most important step in trademark law: the IP strategy plan that must exist before anything is filed....
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Hello everyone, Today we will discuss the importance of an IP strategy plan, explain what an IP portfolio is in practical terms, and show how this applies—step by step—to both film projects and technology companies. We will also explain how we help creators and founders build and protect these portfolios in a way that supports real-world deals....
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Independent filmmakers often believe that distribution depends on festivals, cast, or buzz. In practice, many completed films fail to secure distribution for a far less visible reason: broken or incomplete chain of title. Chain of title issues rarely appear early. They surface when a film finally attracts interest—when a distributor, sales agent, or platform asks a simple question: Do you actually own the rights you’re trying to sell or license?...
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International filmmakers are deeply embedded in the U.S. film industry. Directors, producers, cinematographers, editors, composers, and writers from all over the world come to the United States to attend festivals, develop projects, meet collaborators, and shoot films. Many are highly accomplished and assume that professionalism, artistic intent, or lack of payment will protect them from immigration problems....
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