Copyright Counseling and Litigation

Copyright Transactions and Content Clearance. We secure rights for advertisers, publishers, and media companies to use content in a variety of formats, including video, film, print, music, and software. We support advertisers and publishers to clear rights for content.

Copyright Registration, Licensing, and Litigation. We help our clients protect and monetize their copyright assets through registration, licensing, and enforcement. We act for copyright holders in the federal courts, in copyright royalty proceedings, and in rulemaking before the U.S. Copyright Office. 

Broadcasters and Publishers. Our work for broadcasters and publishers centers around protecting their content distribution channels and content valuation. Key ways in which we support clients include:

• Identifying the proper value of television programming, advertising, and other content in transactions and litigation.
• Representing commercial broadcasters in copyright royalty and rate setting litigation at the U.S. Copyright Office and in recovering unpaid rebates and fees from advertising agencies on behalf of brands.
• Drafting and negotiating publishing, author, and licensing agreements and digital platform distribution agreements for academic, medical, and scientific publishers.
• Incorporating key tools into agreements to ensure that media placements are correctly measured and that our clients’ media agencies are well-equipped to root out digital ad fraud.

Digital Media. We provide counsel and negotiate deals for programmatic advertising, media barter, and digital art (NFTs). In close partnership with Crowell & Moring’s Cyber and Privacy and Investigative teams, we help companies develop programs to investigate and combat ad fraud, and to pursue recovery when fraud is discovered. We provide counseling and thought leadership on cutting edge fair use and AI questions in the digital world, and regarding exploitation of copyrighted content through NFTs.

Entertainment and Sports Licensing. With deep experience in handling trademark, as well as copyright issues, and knowledge of the sports and entertainment media market, the Crowell team negotiates sponsorship, promotion, naming rights, and media deals for clients in the travel, apparel, financial services, retail, automotive, food and beverage, and consumer products industries. We do the same for sports leagues and teams, including U.S. Soccer and the LA Clippers.