Lisa Callif and Chris Perez Named “Top Intellectual Property Lawyers” by the Daily Journal
The firm is proud to announce that Lisa Callif and Chris Perez have been recognized as “Top Intellectual Property Lawyers” by the Los Angeles and San Francisco Daily Journal. The annual list honors the leading California attorneys in the intellectual property sector who have shaped the field through their legal accomplishments and impactful work in patents, copyright, and trademarks.
In Lisa’s profile, the edition highlights her renowned legal practice in which she advises scripted and documentary filmmakers on an array of intellectual property areas, including copyright, fair use, clearance, artificial intelligence, and personal rights. Drawn to the entertainment industry at a young age, through self-assessment, she came to realize she fits into the industry as an entertainment attorney. The feature continues to spotlight notable and impactful projects not only shaping her career but the legal field, citing the 2006 documentary “The Film Is Not Yet Rated,” which was the first film to comprise an estimated 154 clips from independent and studio productions under the fair use doctrine. She also worked on the documentary limited series “Pee-Wee as Himself” and the film “Blue Moon,” each with its own respective legal challenges. To conclude her feature with the Daily Journal, Lisa shares a common structural problem creatives encounter while relying on fair use, explaining, “We see too many meritless claims, and such claims make it harder to obtain comprehensive E&O insurance and impede distribution opportunities.”
In Chris’s feature, the Daily Journal emphasizes his operation at the junction of IP law and the film and television industries, and shares his desired outcome for clients: “A successful outcome is that a client makes and releases the film or TV program that they set out to make.” Highlighted in his profile, a film that propelled Chris’s career was “Escape from Tomorrow.” The project originally seemed unreleasable as it was filmed entirely at Disney with no prior authorization. However, through limited changes, it could be opined as a parody and, therefore, legally distributable regardless of Disney’s lack of permission. As for recent films, the profile highlights Chris providing counsel on “Nirvanna the Band the Show the Movie” and advising “Deepfaking Sam Altman,” helping both with rights clearance opinion letters. To conclude his profile, Chris shares his thoughts on how AI will legally exist in the entertainment industry, stating, “The challenge will be on the courts and legislators to strike a good balance between allowing the technology to blossom and develop as a useful tool for optimizing virtually every major industry while protecting consumers and the rights of IP holders.”
To read Lisa and Chris’s full profiles, visit here (subscription required).