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Devin McRae Sheds Light On Possible Legal Ramifications of Will Smith’s Oscars Slap in The Washington Post
Category: News, Press | Tuesday, March 29th, 2022 | Comments Off on Devin McRae Sheds Light On Possible Legal Ramifications of Will Smith’s Oscars Slap in The Washington Post
In an article published in The Washington Post, Devin McRae weighed in on the recent Oscars incident in which Will Smith slapped comedian Chris Rock in the face on stage after Rock made a joke about the actor’s wife, Jada Pinkett Smith. Moments later, Smith went on to win the Oscar Award for Best Actor for his performance as Richard Williams, father of Venus and Serena Williams, in “King Richard.”
The article details the divided opinions from celebrities who were in attendance and viewers who watched the incident play out on live TV, in addition to forecasting how both the Academy and the Los Angeles Police Department should respond.
In Devin’s opinion, the possibility of any criminal charges being filed are unlikely because Rock declined to press charges at the time of the incident, even though the case could be prosecuted as criminal assault and battery.
“The LAPD or the sheriff’s office doesn’t really need a complaining witness in a case like that if the evidence of the act is on film,” Devin says. “A lot of criminal agencies are so overburdened with work that, for this type of thing, if the victim doesn’t want to press charges, it might be routine for them to just not prosecute it and not have to devote the resources.”
Read the full article below (subscription required).
The industry — and the academy — are torn on how to handle Will Smith’s Oscars slap
Bryan Sullivan Comments On Amazon’s Acquisition of MGM For TheWrap
Category: Press | Wednesday, March 23rd, 2022 | Comments Off on Bryan Sullivan Comments On Amazon’s Acquisition of MGM For TheWrap
In a recent article for TheWrap, Bryan Sullivan shared his thoughts on Amazon’s recent acquisition of MGM.
In addition to outlining the logistics of the $8.5 billion deal, the article notes the contrasting cultures of Amazon and MGM, and it considers how this will affect the roles of top MGM executives, including Mike De Luca and Mark Burnett. The article examines additional hurdles that could arise if the leadership structure remains unclear, including whether MGM will retain autonomy with major decisions regarding films and television shows.
“This is not a merger, this is a straight up acquisition,” Bryan remarks. “Amazon is in the driver’s seat. And MGM just goes along for the ride.”
Read the full article below (subscription required).
Why MGM’s Top Execs Face an Uphill Battle Under Amazon Leadership
Bryan Sullivan Speaks to Newsy About Studios Purchasing Individuals’ Life Rights
Category: News, Press | Friday, March 11th, 2022 | Comments Off on Bryan Sullivan Speaks to Newsy About Studios Purchasing Individuals’ Life Rights
In a recent segment by Newsy, Bryan Sullivan shares extensive insight on the legalities of purchasing an individual’s life rights to create art. The segment exemplifies this practice by detailing Netflix’s purchase of Anna Sorokin’s life rights, resulting in its creation of “Inventing Anna.”
While Netflix reportedly paid $320,000 for Sorokin’s life rights, Bryan explains that purchasing an individual’s life rights is not required in order to tell their story, and there is no set cost to purchase. Studios choose to purchase rights for a number of reasons, including the guarantee that the individual is not able to sue the studio for defamation or privacy concerns. Bryan also notes that acquiring life rights results in exclusive access to telling the story, and it can even result in access to important artifacts such as diaries, emails, and documents.
“It would be imperative that they get actual access to her and exclusive access, so that she doesn’t go around telling her story to everybody else, undercutting the value of the rights,” Bryan says.
Watch the segment or read more of Bryan’s comments on Newsy below.
What Does It Mean To Buy The Rights To A Life Story?
Devin McRae Quoted In Los Angeles Times On Violence Concerns Surrounding Kanye West’s “Eazy”
Category: Press | Thursday, March 3rd, 2022 | Comments Off on Devin McRae Quoted In Los Angeles Times On Violence Concerns Surrounding Kanye West’s “Eazy”
In an article published in the Los Angeles Times, Devin McRae weighed in on the recent controversy surrounding the release of Kanye West’s “Eazy” music video. The music video depicts a cartoon version of West kidnapping and burying celebrity Pete Davidson, who is publicly involved with West’s ex-wife, Kim Kardashian.
The article notes complaints from offended viewers demanding that the video be taken down from Instagram, Twitter, and Youtube, and it questions whether social media companies have a legal obligation to delete offensive material.
The article also compares West’s music video to the lyrics of rap artist Jamal Knox. In 2018, the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania ruled that Knox could be held criminally liable for naming specific police officers as well as ways he would harm them in his songs. Devin notes that the lyrics were about the rap artist’s arresting officers.
“You can see that there are a lot more circumstances that would lead one to believe it’s a true threat,” Devin says. “I think it would most likely be seen to be perhaps in bad taste but not legally actionable.”
Read the full article below (subscription required).
Did Ye’s revenge music video go too far?
Early Sullivan Obtains Preliminary Injunction For Its Clients Preventing Neighbors From Blocking Property Access
Category: Results | Thursday, February 10th, 2022 | Comments Off on Early Sullivan Obtains Preliminary Injunction For Its Clients Preventing Neighbors From Blocking Property Access
Early Sullivan obtained a Preliminary Injunction for their clients Carl and Laurie Madsen preventing efforts by their neighbors to bar them from using a roadway to their otherwise landlocked home. The Madsen’s property, purchased with intentions to build a home, was left inaccessible after several neighbors blocked the sole road necessary for entry. The neighbors also allegedly harassed vendors and work crews efforts to enter and exit the property. All homeowners and lenders on the road were listed in the lawsuit brought by Early Sullivan attorneys Diane Myint Luczon and Zachary Hansen.
Early Sullivan’s motion for Preliminary Injunction and reply were supported by multiple declarations as were the oppositions that were filed. The detailed Order of the ruling determined that the Madsens have satisfied their burden of showing “the likelihood of suffering irreparable harm unless the conduct attributed to defendants including but not limited to Westlunds, their agents and/or others acting in concert with them, is enjoined.”
The Madsens can now enjoy their property and their neighbors are prohibited from obstructing access.
Scott Gizer Provides Insight to Realtor.com on How Homeowners Can Protect Their Home From Lawsuits and Creditors
Category: News, Press | Friday, February 4th, 2022 | Comments Off on Scott Gizer Provides Insight to Realtor.com on How Homeowners Can Protect Their Home From Lawsuits and Creditors
Scott Gizer was recently featured in a piece for Realtor.com discussing precautionary measures American homeowners should take to safeguard their home from litigation or creditors. The article examines common scenarios that could yield a lawsuit, notes the standard policies homeowners should have to one’s name, such as umbrella insurance, and details the most effective ways to protect your assets from creditors in the face of unexpected financial hardships. With Americans filing about 40 million lawsuits every year, Scott recommended that homeowners know how to protect their assets in advance.
In the article, Scott noted that homeowners should, “be sure to stay up-to-date on property taxes since defaults suggest that the homeowner isn’t taking proper care of their property.” In the unfortunate event of a lawsuit, the article cautions that, “Any hint of negligence could make you look bad in court should a lawsuit arise.”
Read the full article below.
Cover Your Assets 101: How To Protect Your Home From Lawsuits and Creditors
Court Sides With Early Sullivan Client After $1M Loan Scheme
Category: Results | Tuesday, January 25th, 2022 | Comments Off on Court Sides With Early Sullivan Client After $1M Loan Scheme
In a major bench trial victory, a Court found in favor of Early Sulivan client Cashera Plaza which, in hopes to build a car wash and auto repair center, entered into a $1.13 million construction loan with defendant lender Bian Liao Living Trust. Corporate Asset and Science was appointed as the lender’s fund control agent in the promissory note, with the loan broker named as the trustee of that entity.
After receiving only $140k of the $1.13 million towards entitlement efforts, it was discovered that the fund control agent schemed against Cashera, absconding the rest of the money. The lender then foreclosed without giving proper notice to the client, using an incorrect address and claiming the full loan amount of $1.13 million was due plus interest.
Early Sullivan sued the lender, the fund control agent, and others for breach of contract and fraud, moving to set aside the foreclosure and cancel the foreclosure documents. At Early Sullivan’s request, the Court bifurcated the equitable claims and tried them first. Ultimately, the Court found in Cashera’s favor on the equitable claims of set aside and cancellation of instructions, holding that the fund control agent was the agent of the lender and that fund control and the lender both engaged in fraud and acted with malicious intent by sending the foreclosure notices to a known bad address.
The Early Sullivan team will now try the fraud claims before a jury, bound by the Court’s findings on agency and that the defendants engaged in fraud and acted with malice, leaving the amount of compensatory and punitive damages as the only issues for the jury to decide. The Early Sullivan team was led by Scott Gizer.
Seven Early Sullivan Attorneys Named 2022 Southern California “Super Lawyers”
Category: Awards, News | Thursday, January 20th, 2022 | Comments Off on Seven Early Sullivan Attorneys Named 2022 Southern California “Super Lawyers”
The firm is pleased to announce that several of its attorneys have been selected for inclusion in Thomson Reuters’ 2022 Southern California “Super Lawyers” list. The “Super Lawyers” distinction is given annually to the nation’s most outstanding attorneys, based on peer recognition, professional achievement, and independent research. Only the top 5% of lawyers in each state are selected to receive this honor.
The following attorneys have been recognized as “Super Lawyers” for their expertise in these practice areas:
Eric Early – Business Litigation (2005-2022)
Scott Gizer – Business Litigation, Real Estate: Business, Employment Litigation: Defense (2005-2008, 2010-2016, 2020-2022)
Sophia Lau – Business Litigation, Entertainment & Sports (2022)
Diane Myint Luczon – Business Litigation (2020-2022)
Stephen Ma – Business Litigation, Real Estate: Business, Entertainment & Sports (2014-2022)
Devin McRae – Entertainment & Sports, Intellectual Property Litigation, Business Litigation (2016-2022)
Bryan Sullivan – Entertainment & Sports, Business Litigation, Business/Corporate (2015-2022)
Bryan Sullivan Speaks to The Hollywood Reporter about the COVID-19 Safety Status Quo on Film and TV Sets
Category: News, Press | Tuesday, January 18th, 2022 | Comments Off on Bryan Sullivan Speaks to The Hollywood Reporter about the COVID-19 Safety Status Quo on Film and TV Sets
In an article recently published by The Hollywood Reporter, Bryan Sullivan sheds light on how pandemic safety measures are continuing to impact work environments throughout film and TV sets in Hollywood, as well as possible changes to come if the existing COVID-19 safety agreement between top guilds and studios is revisited in the near future. The article highlights entertainment workers’ concerns about current protocols and whether or not they are stringent enough to keep workers protected against COVID-19 variants, especially as many projects have been affected by the wave of omicron cases.
Bryan was skeptical that a mandate for vaccination or testing will be included in any new agreement. “With omicron, while you can still get it while vaccinated, you’re not that sick and rarely do you have to go to a hospital if you’re already reasonably healthy. It’s much more treatable,” he shared. However, he continued to note that more stringent protocols are not completely out of the question, as production delays due to outbreaks can cost studios and guilds millions of dollars.
For more of Bryan’s commentary and insight whether the current protocols will be enhanced in entertainment workplaces, read the full article below.
Film/TV Sets Under Strain: Is the COVID-19 Safety Status Quo Good Enough?
Bryan Sullivan and Scott Gizer Recognized in the Los Angeles Business Journal’s 2021 “Leaders of Influence: Thriving in Their 40s”
Category: Awards, News | Monday, December 20th, 2021 | Comments Off on Bryan Sullivan and Scott Gizer Recognized in the Los Angeles Business Journal’s 2021 “Leaders of Influence: Thriving in Their 40s”
The firm is pleased to announce that Bryan Sullivan and Scott Gizer were selected to appear in the Los Angeles Business Journal’s “Leaders of Influence: Thriving in Their 40’s” list for 2021. This honor annually recognizes leading professionals in their 40s who have demonstrated significant accomplishments in their respective fields.
The issue specifically provides insight into Bryan and Scott’s careers, attributes, and accomplishments. In his profile, Bryan was recognized for his experience in transactions and entertainment law, where he is involved in cutting-edge deals reshaping the entertainment industry for A-list clients in Hollywood, such as Miley Cyrus and Olivia Munn.
In its profile of Scott, the Business Journal highlights Scott’s success as a national trial and appellate lawyer who has, “retained a wide range of clients that range from Fortune 500 companies to local businesses and business persons.” The publication recognized Scott for having tried over 15 cases as counsel lead before juries, judges, and arbiters and specifically a multimillion-dollar property dispute in Santa Barbara.
To view the full “Leaders of Influence: Thriving in Their 40s” list for 2021, click here.