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Recent E-Mail Update

IP Protection for Signature Dance Moves

In recent weeks, a number of creatives, including 2 Milly (for the “Milly Rock dance“) and Alfronso Ribeiro (for the “Carlton dance“) have filed lawsuits against Epic Games for misappropriation of their signature dance moves in the popular video game Fortnite. The new arts and entertainment blog  “All Rights Reserved” hosted by Terrica Carrington looks not only at the legal implications, but also the social and cultural importance of the litigation. Click the link for the blog.

Harvard Law Library Provides Free Access to U.S. Caselaw

Through a program called Caselaw Access Project, or CAP, Harvard’s law library provides free digital access to U.S. caselaw.  Through this new resource anyone from law students and attorneys to community activists and independent artists, inventors, and entrepreneurs can research legal decisions and educate themselves as to current developments in the law.  Click here to access the project website and find out more.

Call for Diversity in Arbitrators
Rapper and entrepreneur Jay-Z shined a light on the lack of diversity in available arbitrators.  Last month, attorneys for the rapper filed a request to halt arbitration due to claims that the American Arbitrators Association does not have adequate African-American arbitrators to choose from for his dispute with Iconix Brand Group Inc.  While it is unclear whether the claim had any effect on the lawsuit, it did result in media outlets ranging from the NY Times and Wall Street Journal to the Hollywood Reporter and Complex magazine producing articles highlighting the issue for their readers.