Entertainment, Arts, and Sports Law Commons^™

Resolving Cross-Border Nft Disputes: Jurisdictional Approaches, Smart Contracts, And Proposed Solutions, Aparna Vaitla

Washington Journal of Law, Technology & Arts

The emergence of Non-Fungible Tokens (NFTs) has significantly impacted the enforcement of intellectual property (IP) rights, particularly in the digital environment. NFTs enable the creation, transfer, and monetization of unique digital assets such as artwork, music, and virtual goods, raising new legal challenges for IP protection. Among various IP concerns, copyright law is the most directly implicated in NFT-related disputes. While existing copyright frameworks remain broadly applicable, they require refined interpretation and targeted regulatory adaptation to address blockchain-specific issues such as pseudonymity, decentralized ownership, and cross-border enforcement. This Article focuses exclusively on copyright law, examining its applicability to NFT transactions …

Table Of Contents

Washington Journal of Law, Technology & Arts

No abstract provided.

Threads Of Protection: Intellectual Property Protections For Fashion Designs In The Age Of Generative Ai, Nayomi Mendez Andrade

Washington Journal of Law, Technology & Arts

This Article examines the limitations of intellectual property law in the United States for fashion designers and their creations. In doing so, it considers the impact generative artificial intelligence technologies have had on such protections. Despite fashion’s cultural and economic significance, U.S. law offers only fragmented protection through copyrights, trademarks, trade dress, and patents. Copyright law is significantly constrained by the useful article doctrine and the separability requirement articulated in Star Athletica v. Varsity Brands. Thus, copyrights only protect separable artistic elements rather than garments as a whole. Trademark and trade dress protections are typically only effective for well-established brands, …

Generated Wills And Responsible Ai Use In Estate Law, Collin Peters

Washington Journal of Law, Technology & Arts

Generative AI tools have been increasingly used by corporations and individuals to create documents quickly and cheaply based on short human inputs. The coming of widely accessible and cheap-to-use generative AI tools introduces the possibility of firms or lay testators using AI to generate wills. However, the risks of using AI to generate wills are largely unexplored and have not received much regulatory attention nor discussion in the literature. As a result, the question of how to manage the risks of AI-generated wills in a way that ensures their safe, accessible, and productive use has largely gone unaddressed. This article …

From Software To Models: Rethinking Open Source In The Age Of Generative Ai, Dana Beldiman

Washington Journal of Law, Technology & Arts

Open-source software (OSS), a form of distributed and collaborative software development rooted in the ethos of early computer science, has evolved into an essential component of modern digital infrastructure. This article asks whether open source will assume a similarly transformative role within the emerging technological paradigm of generative artificial intelligence (AI).

Generative AI differs fundamentally from software: its constituent artifacts, architectures, generative capacities, and deployment contexts are distinct and substantially more complex. Despite these differences, foundation models continue to be released under licenses originally designed for software, which may not constitute a valid transfer of rights in the generative AI …

Friday Night Rights: Ornamental Use In Collegiate Sports Merchandising, Isabel M. Carvalho

University of Richmond Law Review

University logos and insignias—once limited to athletic uniforms and official stationery—now appear on everything from high-end apparel to mass-produced mugs. Collegiate merchandising is a massive industry, generating $14.8 billion in 2023 alone. Infringers have followed close behind, producing look-alike goods that blur the line between authorized merchandise and unauthorized imitation. As universities increasingly pursue infringers, defendants have seized on a principle of trademark law to fight back: the ornamental use doctrine. Originally intended to prevent the registration of marks that serve merely as decorative features rather than source identifiers, the doctrine has morphed into an affirmative defense that challenges the …

Cardozo Law Introduces New Course On Theatre Law, Benjamin N. Cardozo School Of Law

Cardozo Law News Archive

Cardozo School of Law introduced Theatre Law, the first law school course devoted entirely to the legal framework of the live stage industry. Taught by Adjunct Professor Ben Feldman, the course explores contracts, intellectual property, labor relations, licensing, financing, and other legal issues unique to theatrical productions, providing students with specialized training in entertainment law.

Andy Warhol Found. For The Visual Arts V. Goldsmith And The Need For An Aesthetically Informed Judiciary, Kailey Houck

Denver Sports & Entertainment Law Journal

No abstract provided.

The Whitney Museum Of American Art, Cardozo Art Law Society

2025–2026 Flyers

No abstract provided.

The Together Lawsuit: What Will Matter After The Motion To Dismiss, Zeyu Liu

Cardozo Arts & Entertainment Law Journal (AELJ) Blog

On February 20, 2026, the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California denied a motion to dismiss filed by Defendant William Morris Endeavor Entertainment (WME) in a copyright infringement claim brought forth by Plaintiff StudioFest, a production company. It is alleged that WME’s film Together infringed on the screenplay of the movie Better Half, whose copyright is owned by the Plaintiff. The Plaintiff only claimed a screenplay violation and alleged that in 2020, it sent the full script and synopsis to the agents of codefendants Dave Franco and Alison Brie as part of an offer to have them …

Holding Isps Accountable? Secondary Liability And The Impact Of Cox V. Sony, Emma Steffes

Cardozo Arts & Entertainment Law Journal (AELJ) Blog

The Supreme Court is currently considering a case that could significantly affect current secondary liability principles under copyright law: Cox Communications, Inc. v. Sony Music Entertainment. The case poses a deceptively simple question: asking when an internet service provider should be legally responsible for the illegal actions of its users? The answer could reshape the relationship between copyright owners, internet companies, and all online users.

Vetter V. Resnik: An International Dilemma, Catherine Stagliano

Cardozo Arts & Entertainment Law Journal (AELJ) Blog

Typically, copyright lawyers around the nation look to the Second Circuit, presiding over New York City, and the Ninth Circuit, similarly moderating Los Angeles, for pivotal intellectual property legal decisions. On January 12, 2026, however, the Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit released an opinion that has upended seemingly settled music publishing principles. Donald Passman’s textbook “All You Need to Know About the Music Business”, a source read by aspiring music industry professionals, describes termination rights as:

One of the best goodies that creators got in the 1976 Copyright Law is the right of termination. The termination provisions say …

The Fall Of America's Final Free Labor Market: Considering The New Age College Athlete As An Employee Under The Nlra And Flsa, Ethan Schaaf

Kentucky Law Journal

No abstract provided.

Aelj Panel: Balancing Free Speech And National Security In The Digital Age, Cardozo Arts & Entertainment Law Journal (Aelj)

2025–2026 Flyers

No abstract provided.

Private Equity Investment In College Athletics: The New Frontier, Christopher Ruckdeschel

Florida Entertainment and Sports Law Review

This Note discusses the funding crunch that universities are facing and why private equity capital can be the answer. The House v. NCAA settlement has introduced a $20.5 million yearly expense that universities must pay in order to compete for top-level talent in revenue-generating sports such as college football and basketball. However, declining enrollment and unequal TV rights distributions have left some universities scrambling to figure out how to stay competitive in this new revenue-sharing era. Enter private equity. This Note explains how universities can tap private equity investment to fund revenue-sharing obligations instead of slashing operating budgets and cutting …

Stuart Weitzman: A Designer's Entrepreneurial Journey On The Road Less Traveled, Cardozo Fashion Law Society, Cardozo Fame Center

2025–2026 Flyers

Join us for an evening with Stuart Weitzman in conversation with Professor Barbara Kolsun, the director of FAME law center and SW's first general counsel. Come hear about Weitzman's entrepreneurship, domination of red carpet events, and his extensive involvement in charitable endeavor

Stuart Weitzman: A Designer’S Entrepreneurial Journey On The Road Less Traveled, Cardozo Fame Center

2026 Event Invitations

The Cardozo Fashion Law Society & FAME Center are thrilled to host a special event with Stuart Weitzman. In conversation with Professor Barbara Kolsun, Director of the FAME Center and the very first General Counsel of Stuart Weitzman, Stuart will walk us through his legendary career and the business and legal landscape behind his globally recognized namesake brand.

Stuart Weitzman’s passion for design has been a lifelong pursuit, leading to the internationally renowned company that bears his name. He has been honored extensively for his unique approach to entrepreneurship, and for his uncompromising commitment to prioritizing function as an integral …

Stage Left: Legal Issues In Live Music, Cardozo Entertainment Law Society, Cardozo Fame Center

2025–2026 Flyers

No abstract provided.

Sports Law And Gambling Unit, Cardozo Sports Law Society (Csls), Cardozo Fame Center

2025–2026 Flyers

• Legal and regulatory frameworks
• Integrity and Compliance concerns 
• High-profile disputes involving leagues, athletes and betting platforms 

Who Owns The Story ? Rights, Adaptations, And Creative Control In Theatre, Cardozo Fame Center, Cardozo Entertainment Law Society

2025–2026 Flyers

No abstract provided.