10 Questions: Entertainment lawyer and documentarian knows where the good bars are

As Sheppard Mullin’s LA-based head of global media, Robert Darwell makes deals for companies like Disney, Amazon MGM Studios, Nickelodeon and Meta, and he’s helped make hundreds of movies possible, including Brokeback Mountain and Selma. But it’s not just Darwell’s law practice that earns him attention—he’s also recognized for his work as a documentary filmmaker.

Jun 1, 2024 1:20 AM CDT

You can’t litigate your way into Kentucky Derby, says Churchill Downs’ general counsel

The Kentucky Derby has long been known as “the fastest two minutes in sports,” but the 150th Run for the Roses on Saturday will take place without Muth, a horse some say may have been the fastest in the field this year.

May 2, 2024 1:56 PM CDT

4th Circuit allows transgender girl to stay on West Virginia track team

A transgender middle-schooler in West Virginia cannot be barred from participating in cross-country running and track with other girls, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 4th Circuit has ruled.

Apr 17, 2024 8:30 AM CDT

O.J. Simpson, football great whose trial for murder became a phenomenon, dies at 76

O.J. Simpson, the football superstar who became a symbol of domestic violence and racial division after he was found not guilty of murdering his ex-wife and her friend in a trial that riveted the nation and had legal and cultural repercussions for years afterward, died April 10. He was 76.

Apr 11, 2024 2:30 PM CDT

‘Nerd’ lawyer spotted differing 3-point lines at NCAA women’s tournament; ‘once you saw it, you couldn’t unsee it’

Thanks to a lawyer sitting in nosebleed seats, the NCAA learned over the weekend that the two three-point lines in the women’s basketball tournament at the Moda Center in Portland, Oregon, were different lengths.

Apr 2, 2024 10:32 AM CDT

Law student’s suit alleges Chicago Bears didn’t hire him as ‘legal diversity fellow’ because he is white man

A first-year student at the DePaul University College of Law in Chicago claims in a lawsuit that the Chicago Bears football team refused to consider him for a “legal diversity fellow” position because he is a white man.

Mar 25, 2024 10:05 AM CDT

Lawyers, witnesses used privilege to ‘obfuscate and hide information’ in Eagles stolen-lyrics trial, judge says

A judge in New York City has tossed charges of conspiring to possess stolen property—namely, Eagles handwritten lyrics—after band front man Don Henley waived attorney-client privilege during the trial, leading to late disclosure of 6,000 pages of material, some of which could be helpful to the defense.

Mar 7, 2024 10:54 AM CST

Lawyer mistakenly filed ‘verbatim copy’ of opponent’s brief, leading to loss for Romantics band member

A trial court did not abuse its discretion when it required a member of the rock band the Romantics to pay triple damages after his new attorney filed a “verbatim copy” of the opponent’s brief by mistake, the Michigan Court of Appeals has ruled.

Mar 5, 2024 8:20 AM CST

Prosecutors blame disclosure of attorney-client texts on ‘cavalier legal representation’ by ‘Rust’ armorer’s lawyer

Updated: A lawyer representing an armorer accused in the movie set shooting death of a cinematographer has failed to win dismissal of charges against his client, despite the disclosure of texts protected by attorney-client privilege.

Feb 14, 2024 2:55 PM CST

Swift Justice: Students learn about the law through Taylor Swift cases

In at least two law schools, Taylor Swift is the subject of a class available to students wanting to gain practical knowledge about the law by studying her various legal entanglements and how she emerged stronger.

Feb 14, 2024 8:32 AM CST

George Carlin’s estate sues over AI comedy special

Jan 29, 2024 10:35 AM CST

Lawyer for Fugees rapper Pras Michél pleads guilty to leaking evidence

Jan 29, 2024 9:45 AM CST

AI-generated music is everywhere; is any of it legal?

There has been an explosion of AI-generated music featuring the living or resurrecting the dead. But as artists push the limits of parody, fair use, right of publicity, infringement and authorship, there is one overarching question: Is any of this stuff legal?

Jan 18, 2024 3:50 PM CST

Checkmate: BigLaw associate seeks chess master status

Opposing counsel may want to watch out for Rochelle Ballantyne, a first-year litigation associate at Sidley Austin and a longtime chess champ with a fierce competitive spirit.

Jan 17, 2024 8:19 AM CST

Lawsuits challenging Madison Square Garden’s lawyer ban are abating; only 2 remain

There are two lawsuits remaining that challenge the Madison Square Garden Entertainment Corp.’s policy of banning lawyers from many of its properties if their law firms have sued the company.

Dec 15, 2023 2:49 PM CST