Doing Business in Florida Blog

Fair Use Developments: Supreme Court Rules For Google In Oracle Copyright Dispute

April 7, 2021
Heidi Howard Tandy  |  Fair Use , Intellectual Property, Copyright

Although it’s only the first week of April, the Spring of 2021 has already dappled with three significant rulings on the concept of fair use of a third party’s copyright. Fair use is a concept that exists in US copyright law, which allows third parties to use another’s copyright-protected content without obtaining a license, asking for permission or consent, or paying a fee. Judge Pierre Leval, formerly of the Second Circuit, once described it in an article as a court-recognized doctrine that allowed unauthorized reproduction of copyrighted material that would not infringe the copyright holder’s rights.

3D Printing: New Technology, New Risks

March 17, 2021
Stephanie M. Chaissan and Heidi Howard Tandy  |  Construction, 3D Printing , Intellectual Property, Copyright

The construction industry was booming in the United States in the first quarter of 2020 – then COVID-19 hit. The industry has experienced project delays and shutdowns, supply disruptions, increased safety protocols, rising materials costs, and labor shortages in the past year. But with the lessons learned from the 2008 recession and the use of emerging technology, the industry is poised to emerge stronger after the pandemic.

Zooming With Care: A Guide to Privacy and Privilege Issues

April 16, 2020
Heidi Howard Tandy  |  Videoconferencing, Copyright, Privilege , Coronavirus Pandemic, Zoom

Can You Share the Photos Your Employees Took at Your Annual Picnic?

September 26, 2019
Heidi Howard Tandy and Geoffrey Lottenberg  |  Copyright

A recent ruling in the 3rd Circuit, which covers Delaware, New Jersey and Pennsylvania has the potential to impact any work-for-hire agreement, especially for businesses that are incorporated or have operations in one of those states. 

Supreme Court Rules Registration, Not Just Application, Required to Sue for Copyright Infringement

March 4, 2019
Geoffrey Lottenberg  |  Copyright, Copyright Infringement

United States Copyright law protects authors of creative works against unwanted copying, distribution, and other acts of infringement.  While registration is not required to have rights, federal courts have historically been split on whether registration is required in order to file an infringement lawsuit.