On Sept. 14, 2015, the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals in San Francisco ruled that copyright holders must consider fair use prior to issuing a Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA)… Full story

California State University of Long Beach (CSULB) welcomes Partner Dean Cheley to present on fair use and copyright protection for their annual Student Media Day on September 25, 2015 at… Full story

After seeing his own artwork as a prop in a Netflix original series, artist Earl Swanigan filed a lawsuit against the on-demand media provider claiming the unpermitted use of his… Full story

Utilizing social media to promote a film release is not only encouraged, it is a necessity. Partner Dean Cheley examined the legal issues with social media and film at the… Full story

In the past year, there were multiple documentary film releases featuring some of the most influential artists, including Amy Winehouse, Kurt Cobain and more. As the go-to attorney for documentary… Full story

The increasing prominence of digital distribution deals within the entertainment industry provides unprecedented revenue-generating opportunities for indie filmmakers. Partner Dean Cheley, who represents independent filmmakers in distribution matters, explores this… Full story

Partner Lisa Callif was selected by her peers for inclusion in The Best Lawyers in America© 2016 list. This is Ms. Callif’s first year on the list for her work… Full story

AMERICAblog interviewed Partner Michael Donaldson for the article, “Why do filmmakers and restaurants have to pay to use ‘Happy Birthday’?” to weigh-in on how the “Happy Birthday to You” lawsuit… Full story

Daily Journal published Partner Christopher Perez’s article, “Filmmakers must be free to exercise fair use rights,” addressing the Copyright Office’s pending exemption to the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA), granting… Full story

Partner Dean Cheley was interviewed for the ScreenCraft article, “Entertainment Attorney Dean Cheley on YouTube Stars, Self-Distribution and More,” discussing life-rights issues, the new world of online distribution and the… Full story

Clearance and Copyright, 4th Edition, written by Partners Michael Donaldson and Lisa Callif, has been rated as one of the “Best Books of the Year so Far,” and has earned… Full story

Donaldson + Callif holds their annual summer dinner, along with their families, to celebrate another successful year. From right to left, Partners Christopher Perez, Dean Cheley, Lisa Callif, Michael Donaldson… Full story