Firm Updates

From representing Yoko Ono to winning class action lawsuits on behalf of actors and musicians, Neville Johnson and his partner Douglas Johnson (no relationship) have built one of the most interesting and successful entertainment law practices in the nation, specializing in representing “talent” as opposed to the business side of the industry.

Actress Blake Lively has accused Justin Baldoni and his team of developing a campaign to “smear” her in the press after she reported on-set sexual harassment. A trove of text messages appears to show the team plotting to fend off any airing of Lively’s grievances and to preserve Baldoni’s reputation. Legal experts were flummoxed and impressed by how Lively managed to get hold of the text messages in the absence of a lawsuit.

Johnson & Johnson settles Paula Abdul’s Sexual Assault Case.

Pharmaceutical giant Johnson & Johnson has been sued for alleged ‘rampant’ copyright infringement.

The American Hockey League has been sued in the US for alleged ‘rampant’ copyright infringement of music in social media posts.

A California judge ruled that the Jane Doe suing the American Idol producer over an alleged attack in a chauffeured car "is entitled to maintain her privacy"

Johnson & Johnson has filed copyright infringement lawsuits against 14 NBA teams in the Southern District of New York on behalf of Kobalt Music and a variety of affiliated publishers concerning the teams' unauthorized use of high-value pop music in promotional videos over a span of several years.

In their latest article for the NYSBA, Johnson & Johnson's partners examine the various lower court decisions that have been issued in the wake of Warhol v. Goldsmith and Jack Daniel's v. VIP Products to see how judges are applying this new intellectual property precedent.

The manazine's profile highlights Johnson & Johnson's work on behalf of Janet Jackson, Paula Abdul, and APM Music, along with its ongoing pursuit of fair compensation for recording artists in the era of digital streaming.

Johnson & Johnson LLP has released a statement regarding Nigel Lythgoe's answer to Paula Abdul's lawsuit against him, in which Mr. Lythgoe "cherry-picks" a small number of e-mails between himself and Ms. Abdul to engage in in "classic victim shaming" that ignores both the broader context of the parties' relationship and the far more representative messages Mr. Lythgoe sent Ms. Abdul during the operative time period.

The complaint, filed on March 5, 2024, in Los Angeles Superior Court, asserts claims for sexual assault and battery, gender violence, sexual harassment, and intentional infliction of emotional distress stemming from Mr. Lythgoe's sexual assault of a longtime professional colleague at his home in Bel-Air during a business meeting.

As noted by THR staff writer Winston Cho, this marks the fourth accuser to bring claims against Lythgoe for alleged sexual impropriety since Johnson & Johnson's original lawsuit on behalf of Paula Abdul.

The complaint, filed on February 17, 2024, in Los Angeles Superior Court, asserts claims for sexual assault and battery, gender violence, and intentional infliction of emotional distress stemming from Mr. Lythgoe’s sexual assault of a woman he met at a Beverly Hills hotel while she was there to have dinner with friends and family.

Johnson & Johnson LLP is proud to announce that Senior Partner Neville L. Johnson, Managing Partner Douglas L. Johnson, and Junior Partner Daniel B. Lifschitz have all been recognized by Super Lawyers in its recently-unveiled 2024 rankings.

Prior to the advent of the internet, it was relatively straightforward to determine whether an alleged copyright infringer had a “reasonable opportunity” to view and copy another’s work. How does that inquiry operate when the world is at everyone’s fingertips?

Johnson & Johnson LLP has filed a four-count complaint under California's Sexual Abuse and Cover Up Accountability Act (AB 2777) on behalf of world-famous artist Paula Abdul against British media mogul Nigel Lythgoe.

Johnson & Johnson partners Douglas L. Johnson and Daniel B. Lifschitz have been published in The Daily Journal with an article discussing the important (if controversial) role non-disparagement clauses play in facilitating dispute resolution across various matters and how best to navigate their complexities.

Johnson & Johnson partners Douglas L. Johnson and Daniel B. Lifschitz have been published in The Daily Journal with an article surveying the notable decisions issued in 2023 by the California Courts of Appeal concerning anti-SLAPP litigation, many of which grapple with the most fundamental question posed in anti-SLAPP litigation: when does a plaintiff's claim turn on a defendant's unprotected action rather than protected speech?

Johnson & Johnson LLP are proud to have been selected as a Top Boutique of 2023 by The Daily Journal Top Boutiques in the categories of Entertainment Litigation and Copyright Litigation. Founding partners Neville L. Johnson and Douglas L. Johnson sat down with the Journal to discuss their law practice and the successes that brought them to this designation.

Johnson & Johnson partners Douglas L. Johnson and Daniel B. Lifschitz have been published in The Daily Journal with an article discussing generative artificial intelligence tools and the role that the right of publicity may play in determining whether these tools violate artists’ rights.

The New York State Bar Association's Entertainment, Arts and Sports Law Journal have published an article by Johnson & Johnson's attorneys discussing recent problematic case law concerning how copyright's statute of limitations is applied to certain types of digital infringement.

Counsel for former Beach Boys guitarist David Marks have petitioned the Ninth Circuit to revive a proposed class action alleging Universal Music Group's subsidiary secretly pocketed an unfair cut of legacy artists' foreign streaming royalties.

Johnson & Johnson partners Douglas L. Johnson and Daniel B. Lifschitz have been published in The Daily Journal with an article discussing the Supreme Court's decision in Warhol v. Goldsmith and the ramifications it has for the fair use economy.

Obtained on behalf of a class led by the late SAG president and legendary actor Ed Asner, the settlement provides relief to senior members of the guild who lost their coverage due to earnings requirement changes made in 2020

Billboard notes that while Johnson & Johnson's roster includes Janet Jackson, guitarist Andy McKee and rising musical group Between Friends, founding partner Johnson highlights the firm's work on behalf of musicians without star billing.