Law Commons^™

Ten Tips For Legal Empiricists, Jordana Goodman, Christa J. Laser, Mark A. Lemley, Lisa Larrimore Ouellette, Melissa F. Wasserman, Saurabh Vishnubhakat, Janet Freilich, Jessica Silbey, David L. Schwartz, Neel U. Sukhatme

Faculty Scholarship

This essay offers practical tips from leading legal empirical researchers to assist new scholars who are entering the field. Topics include developing meaningful research questions, designing robust survey methodologies, balancing qualitative and quantitative approaches, ensuring data transparency, fostering interdisciplinary collaboration, and navigating ethical considerations in empirical work. Drawing from their own unique challenges and successes, scholars Michael D. Frakes, Janet Freilich, Mark A. Lemley, Lisa Larrimore Ouellette, David L. Schwartz, Jessica Silbey, Neel U. Sukhatme, Saurabh Vishnubhakat, Melissa F. Wasserman, Jordana Goodman, and Christa Laser illuminate what they wished they would have known going into empirical research and the pitfalls …

Streaming, Copyright And Creators: A Canadian Perspective, Graham Reynolds

All Faculty Publications

This paper will provide an introduction to streaming and copyright in Canada. It will proceed in five parts. Following this introduction, Part 2 of this paper will define streaming, discuss some of the benefits that flow from the widespread use of streaming services, and outline the extent to which streaming technologies are in use in Canada today. In so doing, this paper will distinguish between three types of streaming services: streaming services that secure authorization from rights-holders before making content available; streaming services that rely on technological measures or liability exemptions in order to host content in a non-infringing manner; …

Artificial Intelligence And Music Mash-Ups: Monetizing An Opt-In Closed Universe Database To Preserve Royalties And Credit For Composer And Sound Recording Rights Holders, Michael M. Epstein

Marquette Law Review

This Article charts the development of an opt-in database of music publishing and sound recording catalogues that would allow music industry stakeholders to profit from those who use artificial intelligence to generate new creative content from existing intellectual property. The database would be a portal to content that rights holders would consent to include in a library made available to the public. The database could be advertiser-supported, allowing for no-cost access by the public, or users could pay for a blanket license or per- search fee. Proceeds from the database would be distributed to rights holders based on the content …

The Impact Of Artificial Intelligence On Copyright Infringement Liability, Sarah M. Rizzo

Touro Law Review

Although the rise of artificial intelligence platforms has been promoted as a solution to many of our problems, it is important to address the possible issues this new technology may be creating. With artificial intelligence evolving at such a rapid rate, questions arise as to how to effectively regulate and control this technology. Specifically, in the realm of intellectual property, how will copyright protection be ensured and how will liability for copyright infringement be apportioned with the expanding use of artificial intelligence? Users of artificial intelligence platforms should be able to employ such artificial intelligence products freely and confidently without …

Celebrity Trademark Overload: The Rising Issue Of Excessive Registrations And Reverse Confusion, Lola-Marie Pyros

Touro Law Review

Celebrities use trademark law not only to protect their brands, but also to stake claims on a vast range of potential marks through intent to use (“ITU”) applications—often before any real commercial plan exists. This practice allows celebrities to reserve rights ranging from viral catchphrases to their children’s names which crowds the trademark register, delays legitimate filings by smaller businesses, and forces challengers into costly legal battles. A separate but equally troubling issue arises when a celebrity’s brand overshadows a preexisting weaker mark. In “reverse confusion” cases, courts often focus on whether the celebrity acted willfully, ignoring the fact that …

When Should Training An Ai Model Prevail Against Copyright Infringement?, Jeffrey Greenbaum

Oklahoma Law Review

No abstract provided.

Ad Astra Per Aspera: Legal Revision Of Space Laws And Intellectual Property To Cultivate Global Alliance And Innovation, Jaiden E. Haggiag

Honors Undergraduate Theses

This thesis explores the inadequate nature of the current legal space regime and points out the gaps in outer space laws, including the following: Jurisdictional Challenges, Frameworks of Liability, and IP (Intellectual Property) Enforcement, utilizing laws such as the Outer Space Treaty (OST), the Liability Convention, the Registration Convention, the Moon Agreement, the Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT), and TRIPS, along with national laws like the U.S. Commercial Space Launch Competitiveness Act and The Inventions in Outer Space Act (35 U.S.C. § 105.). Through analysis of current scholarly proposals and treaty evolution and synthesize to provide policy options, the goal of …

Patenting The Taboo: Sex, Drugs, And Abortion, Andrew Gilden, Sarah R. Wasserman Rajec

Faculty Publications

The patent system provides a surprisingly rich archive of the interplay between social norms and technological change. Patent law requires applicants to publicly disclose the novelty and usefulness of their inventions, thereby bringing to light areas of innovation that may have previously lived in the shadows. In other words, patent law encourages public disclosure of technologies that are taboo—developed and practiced in secret, for reasons such as social approbation, illegality, or religious sanctity. To obtain a patent for a taboo technology, patentees must establish their legitimacy as innovators while navigating cultural norms that are hostile to their fields of innovation. …

Patent Law: An Open-Access Casebook, Sarah Fackrell, Sarah R. Wasserman Rajec, Andres Sawicki

Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

The Law Of Digital Resurrection, Victoria J. Haneman

Scholarly Works

The digital right to be dead has yet to be recognized as an important legal right. Artificial intelligence, augmented reality, and nanotechnology have progressed to the point that personal data can be used to resurrect the deceased in digital form with appearance, voice, emotion, and memory recreated to allow interaction with a digital app, chat bot, or avatar that may be indistinguishable from that with a living person. Users may now have a completely immersive experience simply by loading the personal data of the deceased into a neural network to create a chatbot that inherits features and idiosyncrasies of the …

A New Framework For Drug Pricing Law And Policy, Rachel Sachs

Scholarship@WashULaw

Scholars and policymakers have expressed concern about the impact of high prescription drug costs on patients and healthcare budgets. This Article presents a new theoretical framework for evaluating both the problem to be addressed by drug pricing reforms as well as the efficacy of potential solutions. In seeking to solve “the drug pricing problem,” our legal system has given primacy to competition rather than regulation to drive down drug prices. This Article disaggregates the broader concept of “the drug pricing problem” into four steps, each of which must be addressed and each of which elevates different institutional actors to key …

Inventions Without Inventors: The Need To Recognize Ai Systems As Inventors, Niloufer Selvadurai

Journal of Law, Technology, & the Internet

As AI systems increasingly generate innovative products and processes, a critical issue to address is the nature and extent of the patent protection that is conferred upon such outputs. The overarching objective of patent law is the support of innovation and progress. In determining applications, the clear focus of patent judgments is whether the claimed invention satisfies the required standards of inventiveness, novelty, and non-obviousness. It is hence curious that incidental references to “individuals” and “persons,” variously scattered through patent statutes, operate to deny recognition of AI inventors. This is the result of the global test litigation instigated by Dr. …

The Case For A New International Instrument On Copyright Limitations And Exceptions, Faith O. Majekolagbe

Cardozo Arts & Entertainment Law Journal

A new international instrument on copyright limitations and exceptions (L&Es) is pertinent to fostering education and research and enhancing the work of educational, research, and cultural institutions, including libraries, archives, and museums. The existing international instrument on L&Es, the Marrakesh Treaty, sits alone amongst many international copyright instruments for the protection of rightsholders, the Marrakesh Treaty only covering exceptions for print-disabled persons. There is currently no international obligation on countries to guarantee the interests of copyright users in education and research through a set of copyright limitations and exceptions. This has signficant negative effects on access to education and research …

Empowering Digital Consent: A Risk-Focused Due Diligence Tool, Bar Fargon Mizrahi

Cardozo Arts & Entertainment Law Journal

We live in an era of almost infinite digital interactions, many of which involve risks to our rights stemming from various problematic practices, such as data-protection infringements, user profiling, and consumer protection violations. Currently, the protection of digital consumers against these risks rests primarily on a "notice-and-consent" regulatory model-users are legally presumed to have consented to the terms of service (ToS) and privacy policy agreements (PPAs) of the digital services they use. In reality, despite the gravity of the risks involved, users routinely fail to study these binding agreements. Thus, it is widely accepted that this model is ineffective at …

Language Models' Verbatim Copying: Copyright Infringement Analysis Through The Lens Of The New York Times Co. V. Microsoft Corp., Openai, Inc. Et Al., Tian "Tony" Chen

Cardozo Arts & Entertainment Law Journal

In their high-profile suit in late 2023, The New York Times Company ("The Times") alleged that OpenAI's Generative Pre-trained Transformer (GPT) language models might output "near-verbatim" copies ("memorizations") of the works of The Times based on certain user prompts and thus might have infringed on The Times's exclusive rights over its content. One of the central issues is whether the embodiment of unauthorized reproductions of Times content in the GPT models constitutes a copyright infringement. This comment argues that OpenAI might have a colorable fair use affirmative defense despite the plaintiff's prima facie copyright infringement claim.

Existing literature on the …

Harmonizing Copyright: Navigating Pop Music's Creative Landscape In The Era Of Arnstein And Krofft, Evan Joseph

Cardozo Arts & Entertainment Law Journal

This Note explores how the Arnstein and Krofft tests negatively impact pop music in an age where pop music is constantly evolving. It discusses the specific ways in which the tests can discourage creativity, innovation, and fair competition in the pop music industry. It also argues for reform of copyright law to address the shortcomings of the Arnstein and Krofft tests. Part I defines and provides a brief overview of the history of pop music and copyright infringement, while also discussing the importance and economic value of pop music in society. This Part also explains the gravity behind these claims, …

Al Assisted Inventing And Its Impact On The Patent System, Ben Gross

Cardozo Arts & Entertainment Law Journal

The note examines the challenges posed by AI-assisted inventing to the patent system, particularly focusing on the "black box" nature of AI, which obscures the inventive process and complicates patent requirements such as inventorship and disclosure.

Spotify's Dj Algo: An Analysis Of Copyright Infringement Risks In A.I.- Powered Music Curation, Eddie Halwani

Cardozo Arts & Entertainment Law Journal

The note examines the legal and policy implications of Spotify's AI-powered music curation, arguing that while its use of copyrighted material may constitute copyright infringement, it qualifies as fair use under the transformative and non-expressive purposes doctrine. However, the analysis highlights the need for economic reforms to ensure equitable compensation for rights holders and sustainable innovation.

Artificial Intelligence And Its Exploitation By The Fashion Industry, Stephanie Solis-Kepes

Cardozo International & Comparative Law Review

The note explores the transformative impact of artificial intelligence (AI) on the fashion industry, highlighting its potential to enhance efficiency, innovation, and customer experience. However, it underscores the critical legal and ethical challenges, including data privacy, intellectual property rights, supply chain transparency, and diversity issues, that must be addressed to ensure responsible and equitable adoption of AI technologies.

Healing An Unimaginable Loss: How Social Media Platforms Can Help Bereaved Parents Through Adr, Molly Baraban

Cardozo Journal of Conflict Resolution

This Note will argue that Alternative Dispute Resolution ("ADR") can successfully be utilized to mediate disputes between parents and social media platforms to facilitate account access in certain instances where a minor child has passed away in a manner that warrants answers. This Note will argue that the rise in mediation being used to resolve probate issues and reform of arbitration use amongst social media platforms, coupled with the continued increase of minors using social media, indicates opportunities for settlements between parents and platforms. This Note will then propose a multi-tiered approach, that would first utilize a conciliator who is …

Three-Stripe Life: How Adidas Can Act As A Model In Trademark Disputes By Promoting Internal Alternative Dispute Resolutions, Adam Gaudet

Cardozo Journal of Conflict Resolution

This Note will propose that large brands with broad trademarks develop internal strategies and departments which facilitate preemptive mediation and negotiations with smaller designers, ultimately deescalating disputes before any formal legal issues arise. These negotiations and mediations could lead to brand collaborations and new business ventures, could persuade smaller brands to stop their intellectual property infringement, and, in the least ideal situation, lead to a lawsuit. The strategies outlined in this Note, while focused on Adidas, can be applied by other fashion companies as well, as large brands often own many broad trademarks that small businesses might accidentally use. Businesses …

A Comparative Approach To Documentation Methods And Avoiding Transfer Pricing Penalties: Is The United States Justified In Its Approach Of Enforcing Penalties Under Section 6662?, Atalya Santos

Cardozo International & Comparative Law Review

No abstract provided.

Belgium’S Implementation Of The Eu Copyright Directive: An Investigation Of The State Of Equitable Remuneration, Soraya Mazarei

Cardozo International & Comparative Law Review

As streaming becomes the dominant means of music consumption around the globe, songwriters have lost out to music publishers in the contracting process. Ultimately, songwriters are making less money than they used to. Some countries have opted to address this growing problem. Various European countries, including Belgium, have made great strides towards levelling the playing field, to the benefit of songwriters. The subject of equitable remuneration (ER) in the music industry is one that garners ever-more attention, particularly as streaming giants like Spotify win an ever-larger proportion of the music market. Thus far, ER regimes have focused largely on featured …

How Do You Solve A Problem Like Artistic Freedom In The American Theatre?: A Plea For Denying Copyright Protection To Staging Requirements, Michael Ecker

Cardozo Arts & Entertainment Law Journal

The note argues that extending copyright protection to theatrical stage directions would severely threaten the collaborative nature of American theater, stifling creativity and inclusivity. It contends that stage directions, as a unique aspect of dramatic works, should not be eligible for copyright protection under the Copyright Act of 1976, particularly due to the merger doctrine, which denies protection when ideas and their expression are inseparable. The note emphasizes the importance of preserving theater as a collaborative and interpretive art form, where the interplay between playwrights, directors, and performers is essential to its vitality.

Closed Doors To Justice: How The Copyright Claims Board Is Shutting Out Pro Se Litigants, Melissa Eckhause

Cardozo Arts & Entertainment Law Journal

The Copyright Claims Board (CCB), established under the Copyright Alternative in Small-Claims Enforcement Act of 2020, was intended to provide an accessible forum for resolving small-value copyright disputes, particularly for pro se parties. However, the CCB has failed to fulfill this promise, with nearly 90% of pro se claims being dismissed without resolution on the merits. The CCB's strict compliance requirements and failure to liberally construe pro se claims have created a system more burdensome than federal court, contrary to Congress' intent. The article proposes reforms to align the CCB's practices with its original purpose of accessibility and simplicity for …

Flexing The Celebrity Muscle: Celebrity Leverage In Trademark Law And Why Small Businesses Deserve Equitable Treatment, Victoria M. Lopez

Cardozo Arts & Entertainment Law Journal

The note examines the imbalance in trademark law disputes between celebrities and small businesses, arguing that celebrities often leverage their fame and resources to gain an unfair advantage. It highlights how this dynamic can overshadow the rights of small businesses, even when they have prior use of a trademark, as seen in the case of Beauty Concepts vs. Kim Kardashian. The analysis advocates for a more equitable approach to trademark law to protect small businesses from being disadvantaged by celebrity influence.

Can Commercials Be Art? An Analysis Of Intellectual Property Preawareness In The Barbie Era, Shreya Kalidindi

Cardozo Arts & Entertainment Law Journal

The note examines the evolution of advertising, particularly native advertising, and critiques the inadequacy of current regulatory frameworks in addressing its deceptive potential. It highlights how modern advertising practices, such as product placement in films like Barbie, blur the line between commercial speech and artistic expression, challenging the Federal Trade Commission’s (FTC) ability to protect consumers. The analysis argues that strengthening existing regulations is insufficient and advocates for empowering consumers to make informed decisions, as the legal system struggles to keep pace with innovative advertising strategies.

"Be Thankful I Don't Take It All ('Cause I'M The Taxman)": Music Transactions, Catalog Sales, And Tax Treatment, Hannah M. Bartfield

Cardozo Arts & Entertainment Law Journal

This Note examines music catalog transactions from a tax perspective to determine the key considerations, benefits, and consequences of such a transaction, and then addresses why these characteristics are inconsistent with the purpose of copyright law. First, this Note addresses the copyright concepts that govern the music industry in Part I.B. In Part II, royalties are discussed as one method that musicians can rely on to earn revenue from their music, including a summary of how those earnings are taxed. In Part III, these findings will be weighed against similar considerations for the sale of an artist's music catalog, including …

On Copyright And Social Policy, Graham Reynolds

All Faculty Publications

This paper advocates for a view of copyright not as economic incentive or reward, but as a critical piece of a broader social policy, the goal of which is to help build a just and inclusive society. Copyright can play an important role in helping build such a society, in that the exclusive rights granted to creators under copyright legislation, as well as the limits placed on those rights, can be structured in ways that help advance this goal. However, copyright alone can only do so much. In seeking to build a just and inclusive society, copyright must be embedded …

Re-Recording The Record: The Case For A Stronger Moral Right Of Integrity In The United States, Alexandria Touron

Fordham Law Review

In the United States, musical artists have limited legal recourse over transferring ownership of their music to third parties, even when such transfers may harm the artist’s reputation or the integrity of the work. Even the most prominent musicians, like Taylor Swift, must operate within an industry structure that normalizes the transfer of rights and, thus, control of their creative works. This occurs because U.S. law ties artists’ rights almost exclusively to economic ownership of their work unless they specifically bargain to keep their moral rights. However, most other countries have comprehensive moral rights frameworks where all artists can protect …