Justin Henry, a former intern with Atlantic Records, filed a class-action lawsuit against the company, as well as parent company Warner Music Group, over his unpaid internship.
The number of lawsuits against music, movie, and entertainment companies for work from an unpaid internship has steadily increased in recent years and may play a bigger role in labor and entertainment law in the coming years, according to the St. Louis Post-Dispatch.
Henry claims that he was never compensated for the work he performed for the company between October 2007 through May 2008, which he says violates labor laws. He argues that he was required to work more than 40-hour work weeks, and sometimes required to stay late into the evening. In the lawsuit, Henry notes that the work tasks he performed were not educational or vocational in nature and that the roles performed would have needed to be done by employees if he was not doing the work for free, the Post-Dispatch reports. The former intern seeks to recover claimed unpaid minimum wages and overtime wages for himself and other individuals facing similar circumstances. The latter class is believed to be greater than 100 individuals.
This is not the first case of the entertainment industry abusing those in an unpaid intersnhip, and in recent weeks, a federal judge sided with the plaintiff in a case revolving around unpaid internships. U.S. District Judge William Pauley III ruled against Fox Searchlight Pictures when an intern who worked on the hit “Black Swan” filed a suit after failing to be compensated for the work. Pauley ruled that the film company violated minimum wage and overtime laws by not paying interns who did the same work as regular employees, the news source reports.
The ruling may have also sparked another recent lawsuit against Conde Nast Publications from two interns who were not paid minimum wage. A separate lawsuit is also ongoing against Hearst Publications for related reasons.
What Every Real Estate Investor Should Know Before Buying a Rental Property
Before buying a New Jersey rental property, an investor should verify realistic operating numbers, the property’s legal and regulatory status, lead-based paint and flood compliance, the existing leases and tenant protections, and the right ownership structure. A rental property is more than a piece of real estate; it is an operating business subject to legal, […]
Can You Change an Irrevocable Trust in New Jersey?
In New Jersey, an irrevocable trust can sometimes be modified even though its name suggests otherwise, and one of the primary tools for doing so is a process called decanting. Whether decanting is available depends on the specific terms of the trust and the discretion given to the trustee. Key takeaways: New Jersey has no […]
How Intellectual Property Valuation Will Impact Business Transactions
Intellectual property valuation determines the monetary value of a business’s IP assets, and it drives outcomes in licensing deals, joint ventures, mergers and acquisitions, financing, and ownership disputes. The most valuable assets of a business are often the things that cannot be seen or touched: a proprietary process, a copyrighted work, brand recognition, or the […]
Data Center, Dark Fiber, and Lit Services Agreements in New Jersey: Key Terms and Legal Pitfalls
For New Jersey data center owners and operators, a service agreement may look routine when it is signed. The network is functioning, the vendor is meeting its installation schedule, and the parties have agreed on pricing and performance specifications. The provisions that seem most important at that stage are often the technical ones. That changes […]
Fort Monmouth Redevelopment and the Transformation of Monmouth County Real Estate
The Fort Monmouth redevelopment has entered its execution phase, and it is repositioning the broader Monmouth County real estate market. When Netflix and the Fort Monmouth Economic Revitalization Authority closed on the 292-acre Mega Parcel in December 2025, the transaction did more than hand over a deed. It marked the moment Fort Monmouth stopped being […]
Local Zoning and Land Use Rules Every New Jersey Rental Property Owner Should Understand
Owning a residential rental property in New Jersey involves more than finding tenants and collecting rent. Property owners must comply with a combination of state laws, municipal ordinances, building and housing codes, and zoning and land use regulations. These requirements can affect everything from the number of dwelling units permitted at a property to whether […]
No Aspect of the advertisement has been approved by the Supreme Court. Results may vary depending on your particular facts and legal circumstances.
Sign up to get the latest from our attorneys!
Explore What Matters Most to You.
Consider subscribing to our Firm Insights mailing list by clicking the button below so you can keep up to date with the firm`s latest articles covering various legal topics.
Stay informed and inspired with the latest updates, insights, and events from Scarinci Hollenbeck. Our resource library provides valuable content across a range of categories to keep you connected and ahead of the curve.
Let`s get in touch!
Sign up to get the latest from the Scarinci Hollenbeck, LLC attorneys!
