Writings by Anthony R. Caruso

Why is Lucasfilm Suing this Lightsaber School? In the midst of losing themselves in the thrill of fantastical combat, a company of Star Wars enthusiasts are facing a lawsuit over their lightsaber school from the very company that started the billion-dollar franchise. Disney’s Lucasfilm recently filed a suit in the United States District Court’s Northern District of […]

The Dallas Cowboys trademark infringement action against a youth football academy Recently, the National Football League’s Dallas Cowboys filed an official action against two former players for trademark infringement. According to Forbes contributor Darren Heitner, the team filed an opposition with the Trademark Trial and Appeal Board against the players’ use of the Cowboys trademark […]

What to expect when re-selling your franchise In a previous post, we discussed the process of selling your franchise. Now, however, we will walk you through the basics of re-selling your franchise – a totally different ball game.After you have notified the franchisor that you’re considering re-selling your franchise, there are several aspects you need […]

How the 19 Entertainment Lawsuit could change everything Just over a year ago, Philip Philips sought to change the way contracts between reality television program participants and their managers are structured with his 19 Entertainment lawsuit. However, the group he sued is working to make sure that it can maintain the power to procure jobs […]

The reality behind breaking the law on TV Reality television participants don’t always stroll on the right side of the law, but, lucky for them, they’re not going to get arrested for breaking the law on tv if the police fail to show up before they leave.  The reality show business sees the emerging marijuana […]

The embattled Trans-Pacific Partnership certainly has its share of detractors, but it seems Hollywood is not one of them. In fact, the film industry could benefit from the free trade deal if it is approved by the governments of the 12 member nations.  Mixed feelings towards the Trans-Pacific Partnership TPP has been magnet for controversy. It […]

IOC Relaxes Rule 40 Restrictions on Non-Official Olympic Sponsors Many of the athletes competing in Rio would not be at the Olympics without the financial support provided by corporate sponsors. However, the International Olympic Committee’s (IOC) strict advertising rules (specifically Rule 40) generally prohibit competitors from even tweeting about non-official sponsors, and those companies are […]

Why You Should Form an SPE Special purpose entities are game-changers for filmmakers looking for effective and cost-cutting ideas to improve the shooting and production processes. This is why it is important to know how to form an SPE. The tax, management and accounting advantages that filmmakers can take leverage with SPEs are undeniable. These legal […]

Everything You Need to Know about the SPE When expenses grow as large as they do in filmmaking, it is important to keep accounting straightforward as well as establish clear roles for participants. Film producers can achieve each of these goals through special purpose entities also known as the SPE. We will now take a look […]

The O’Bannon Petition & the future of “amateurism” Ed O’Bannon Jr. and a group of former NCAA athletes have filed a petition to the Supreme Court to not consider the NCAA’s appeal to overturn a decision for intellectual property of athletes’ images and likenesses. This has already been a groundbreaking case for intellectual property rights, […]

Here are some of the factors to consider when selling your franchise Preparing an exit strategy is a difficult aspect of owning a franchise and a decision many owners don’t fully consider. According to a recent Securian Financial Group study, more than 60 percent of business owners do not currently have or plan to develop an […]

Athlete privacy and the transparency of their injuries When top defensive end Jason Pierre-Paul blew off a chunk of his hand in a fireworks incident last summer, he may have changed how the media looks at athlete privacy.  Lawsuit asks whether athletes’ medical records are private  Is an athlete’s health a matter of public concern? […]