Law and the Oscars

In this episode of Law, disrupted, host John B. Quinn joins Christopher Tayback, managing partner of the Los Angeles Office of Quinn Emanuel Urquhart & Sullivan.  John served as General Counsel of the Academy for over 30 years, and both Chris and John have represented the Academy in various legal matters for decades. In this podcast, they share details of some well-known legal issues the Academy has faced.

Together they discuss the uniquely important intellectual property issues the Academy has addressed over the years, including the copyright and trademark protections afforded the ceremony’s famous statuettes as well as the use of the name “Oscars” and “Academy Awards.” They also cover the seminal “Creative House” litigation that established the propriety of the Academy’s intellectual property rights in the statuette itself, as well as efforts to enforce the Academy’s “right of first refusal,” which prohibits award winners and their heirs from selling their statuettes.

Finally, John and Chris weigh in on the fundamental issues that the Academy faces as motion pictures are now increasingly viewed and premiered on television as opposed to in theaters.