Weintraub’s copyright attorneys advise clients on a wide range of issues including copyright registration, assignment, licensing, and strategy. Our experienced attorneys also handle a broad scope of copyright litigation, from representing copyright owners whose works have been infringed to defending those accused of copyright infringement.
To that end, Weintraub copyright attorneys are intently involved in the complex issues surrounding computer software and the high-tech industry, including issues relating to the scope of copyright protection, enforcement, acquisition, and licensing. Weintraub has also represented and advised clients in licensing and litigation matters relating to copyright protection for a wide variety of commercial items such as toys, electronics, and educational materials.
Weintraub brings extensive experience protecting copyrighted works for the entertainment industry, including protecting literary works, television and film works, visual artwork, video games, sound recordings, and multimedia products. We represent clients from industries such as television, film, music, publishing, websites, video games, and software. The firm has assisted clients in all forms of media and copyrightable works, including digital content, audiovisual presentations, software, film, literature, images, photography, and recorded music and sounds.
We register copyrights, expedite applications, record documents, and perform title searches. We also draft and negotiate agreements involving copyrighted works, including joint-development agreements, licenses, assignments, rights clearance, and distribution agreements. We advise on copyrightability, fair use, infringement, ownership and title, notice, security interests, and foreign protection. We have extensive experience in social media and other on-line issues and guide our clients through constantly changing best practices in this field.
Our services include:
Preparing and negotiating licenses and transfers, including for software and entertainment content
Litigation of copyright infringement cases
Copyright registration and protection
Fair use, open source counseling, and other software related issues
Ownership and work-made-for-hire counseling
Derivative works, distribution, and public performance rights
In an August 22, 2023, article for The Information, Weintraub shareholder and IP attorney Scott Hervey provided guidance on what can be copyrighted under existing U.S. Copyright Office rulings when it comes to AI-generated material. Only the human-created portion of work containing AI-generated material can be copyrighted. – Scott Hervey…
Jo Dale Carothers was recently quoted in a Law360 article after a recent Precendential Opinion Panel decision for patent petitions for inter partes review (IPR) on whether copyright and ISBN are sufficient evidence for printed reference material as having been “publicly available”. Jo Dale speaks about the ruling stating, “I…
Weintraub is pleased to announce that Jo Dale Carothers has been recognized as a 2019 San Diego Super Lawyer and Eric Caligiuri as a 2019 Rising Star. Jo Dale Carothers is a shareholder and chair of the firm’s Intellectual Property group. An intellectual property litigator and registered patent attorney, Jo…
Weintraub is pleased to announce that Jo Dale Carothers has been recognized as a 2019 San Diego Super Lawyer and Eric Caligiuri as a 2019 Rising Star. Jo Dale Carothers is a shareholder and chair of the firm’s Intellectual Property group. An intellectual property litigator and registered patent attorney, Jo…
Download: WTWB Merger Press Release FINAL.pdf Weintraub Tobin Chediak Coleman Grodin Law Corporation and Waldron & Bragg, a professional corporation, have jointly announced the merger of their business law and litigation firms. The combined firm will be named Weintraub Tobin Chediak Coleman Grodin and have offices in Sacramento, Calif., San…
For a third year in a row, Weintraub Tobin is working to raise funds for cardiovascular diseases and stroke by partaking in the American Heart Association Heart Walk on Saturday, September 21 at William Land Park. Our attorneys and staff work hard during the summer months to gear up for…
OpenAI, Inc. develops artificial intelligence software involving large language models (“LLM”) known as ChatGPT. In 2023, several authors, including the comedian Sarah Silverman, filed putative class action lawsuits alleging various copyright infringement claims. On February 12, 2024, a District Court in the Northern District of California issued its Order and…
The Ninth Circuit recently addressed the issue of whether parties can contractually agree to shorten the statute of limitations period for bringing a copyright infringement claim. In an unpublished opinion in the case, Evox Productions, LLC v. Chrome Data Solutions, LP (filed Feb. 10, 2023), the Ninth Circuit held that…
In Jacobs et al v. The Journal Publishing Company et al, 1-21-cv-00690, District Judge Martha Vazquez of the District Court of New Mexico recently held Plaintiffs’ twenty-two-month delay in filing suit rebutted any presumption of irreparable harm for alleged copyright violations, and accordingly denied Plaintiffs’ motion for a preliminary injunction. In…
In a Nov. 12th article for Yoga Journal, Weintraub attorney Jacqueline M. Simonovich shares good practices to help minimize exposure to potential liability for yoga teachers offering hands-on alignment suggestions with students who have consented to receiving them. Jacqueline explains the potential risks that come with physically adjusting a student’s posture.…
In a recent presentation at the Central Valley Business Expo, Weintraub shareholder Lukas Clary highlighted key changes in California employment law that employers need to be aware of. The discussion covered critical legal updates, including new workplace violence prevention and indoor heat exposure requirements, as well as expanded definitions of…
Though Halloween has come and gone, a real-life scare continues to linger: the office sector of commercial real estate. Office has been the slowest sector to recover from COVID, as companies wrestle with remote/hybrid work policies in determining their future office needs. While some businesses have relinquished their office space…
The California Department of Industrial Relations (“DIR”) recently issued some FAQs regarding how PAGA claims are administered following reform legislation. As you may know, the CA Legislature acted earlier this year to pass legislation to reform PAGA in order to avoid a vote by citizens this November on a ballot…
Election season is upon us. This means your employees have already voted or will request leave to vote on election day. In California, employees who are eligible to vote in a statewide or national election may request leave to vote from their employers if the employees do not have enough…
In a recent presentation at the SHRM Northern California 2024 Annual Conference, Weintraub shareholder Ryan Abernethy outlined significant updates in California employment law for employers to be aware of. The session addressed employment-related legal updates that recently took effect, including workplace violence prevention requirements, new indoor heat exposure regulations, and…
Corporate Transparency Act Updates as Compliance Deadline Looms; Longer Disclosure Period and Public Hearing Now Required for Maternity/Psych Unit Closures; and California Governor Vetoes Healthcare Transaction AG Approval Process for Private Equity Transactions As we move into the fourth quarter of 2024, there are a flurry of breaking news items…
In an article for the Vol. 3, 2024 edition of Sacramento Lawyer Magazine, Weintraub attorney Carly M. Moran writes about the Barristers’ Club of Sacramento’s 29th Annual Summer Associates Reception, which took place on July 25th. The annual event aims to celebrate the achievements of the club’s Diversity Fellowship Program…