This course explores the multifaceted legal and business issues confronting lawyers, creators, and companies operating in the entertainment industry. The course integrates contract law, intellectual property, labor law, First Amendment law, and business law within the entertainment context, examining how content is developed, protected, licensed, distributed, and monetized across platforms.
Through a deep dive into legal doctrines and industry practices, students will gain practical insight into deal structures, rights acquisition, artist representation, production legal, and litigation risks. From film financing to streaming disputes, music sampling to defamation, this course prepares students for real-world practice in one of the most dynamic and high-stakes legal sectors.
Course Objectives
By the end of the course, students will be able to:
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Understand the foundational legal and business structures in entertainment transactions.
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Identify and analyze rights, contracts, and licensing issues specific to film, television, music, and digital media.
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Apply intellectual property doctrines to entertainment assets and evaluate IP enforcement and clearance strategies.
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Examine labor law, union regulations, and agency representation practices that shape talent relations.
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Navigate First Amendment protections and tort risks in celebrity-driven and high-profile productions.
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Evaluate evolving challenges in streaming, influencer marketing, AI-generated content, and global media deals.
