Douglas L. Johnson

Douglas L. Johnson

Managing Partner

[email protected]

(310) 975-1080

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Douglas L. Johnson is the Managing Partner and co-founder of Johnson & Johnson LLP. He specializes in entertainment litigation matters concerning profit participation, royalty audits, studio and label class actions, right of publicity violations, defamation, invasions of privacy, sexual harassment, and general business disputes.

Professional Experience

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Mr. Johnson is internationally-recognized for his handling of high-profile and high-impact litigation matters on behalf of entertainment industry talent, which includes producers, actors, directors, writers, production companies, vocalists, instrumentalists, composers, music publishers, and independent record labels. He is particularly well-known for his frequent successes in resolving royalty and profit participation disputes, right of publicity cases, and theft of idea claims for film and television. Mr. Johnson also handles invasion of privacy and libel cases, sexual harassment matters, traditional business disputes, and novel class actions. His litigation docket frequently captures the attention of major press outlets, and he has been quoted in a wide variety of media publications, including ABC7, Billboard, Business Insider, CBC, CNN, Deadline, Fox News, Law360, NPR, Page Six, The Hollywood Reporter, The Washington Post, and USA Today,

Mr. Johnson has been repeatedly named by Super Lawyer as a top intellectual property litigator for more than a decade, placing him in the top 2.5% of the profession in Southern California, and he has steered Johnson & Johnson as its managing partner to recognition by the Daily Journal as a top boutique firm for entertainment law matters. Mr. Johnson regularly pens articles on hot button industry concerns, speaks on educational panels, and serves as an adjunct law professor at Southwestern Law School teaching a highly-in-demand intersession course on the practice of entertainment law. Mr. Johnson's experience also encompasses a years-long stint as outside general counsel for WorldStarHipHop.com, a pioneering music and pop culture website, where he dealt with myriad cutting-edge copyright, media, and right of privacy issues, including numerous intellectual property lawsuits in federal courts throughout the country.

Since co-founding Johnson & Johnson, Mr. Johnson has been at the forefront of developing California's right of publicity laws. He regularly represents celebrities, models, and professional athletes in litigation against defendants who have wrongfully used their images, Mr. Johnson has litigated these matters up to the California Supreme Court, advocating for precedent to protect the rights of all Californians from those who would seek to profit from their names, images, and likenesses without authorization. Mr. Johnson's advocacy in this area of law encompasses speaking panels, written scholarship, and educating law students on the importance of these rights.

Representative Matters

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Representing Paula Abdul in litigation concerning sexual abuse claims against Nigel Lythgoe and production companies related to American Idol and So You Think You Can Dance.

Represented Janet Jackson in an arbitration against her former record label involving dueling breach of contract claims, successfully resolving the case in mediation.

Defended RatPac in litigation over an idea theft claim made in connection with the 2018 film Life of the Party starring Melissa McCarthy, obtaining a full dismissal of the case.

Represented a high-level film producer in a dispute against a major motion picture studio concerning turnaround rights to the film Rush Hour 4.

Represented a class of recording artists against Sony Music over royalty-skimming allegations, recovering $12.6 million and resulting in a 36% royalty uplift for the class.

Represented a class of background performers against the AFM and SAG-AFTRA over royalty-skimming allegations, obtaining over $8 million in royalties and fee reductions.

Successfully resolved copyright infringement claims against Bad Bunny and his record label over their alleged interpolation of several legendary reggaeton works.

Representing an independent record label in a sprawling copyright infringement lawsuit concerning the protectability of the reggaeton genre's iconic "dem bow riddim."

Represented Karrueche Tran in litigation against her former talent manager, obtaining a seven-figure settlement after successfully moving the court to freeze the manager's assets.

Representing the largest production music licensing agent in North America in a variety of copyright infringement disputes, successfully recovering millions in damages to date.

Represented Richard Simmons in an invasion of privacy dispute, successfully settling the matter after defeating an anti-SLAPP motion at both the trial court and appellate level.

Defended blues icon B.B. King in a case seeking declaratory relief regarding the right to produce a film about his life, resulting in dismissal of the lawsuit.

Obtained a seven-figure jury verdict on behalf of a music artist and record company in a copyright infringement case.

Represented a business owner in arbitration proceedings over partnership dispute, resulting in a seven-figure award for the client.

Obtained a seven figure jury verdict on behalf of a model against a national supplement retailer in a right of publicity dispute.

Obtained a record-breaking settlement in a wrongful death and civil rights case resulting in reorganization of staffing and training at a county jail.

Profit Participation Cases

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Amen

(Ed Weinberger)

Battlestar Galactica

(Glen Larson)

Close Encounters Of The Third Kind

(Richard Dreyfuss)

Demolition Man

(Sylvester Stallone)

The Expendables

(Sylvester Stallone)

The Fall Guy

(Glen Larson)

Friday the 13th franchise

(Sean Cunningham, Horror Inc.)

The Goodbye Girl

(Richard Dreyfuss)

Hot Stuff

(Mort Engelberg)

Knight Rider

(Glen Larson)

Magnum PI

(Glen Larson)

Mannix

(Mike Connors)

Mr. Holland's Opus

(Richard Dreyfuss)

The Odd Couple

(Jack Klugman)

The Parkers

(Ralph Farquhar, Sara Finney, Vida Spears)

Quincy, M.E.

(Jack Klugman)

Rocky franchise

(Sylvester Stallone)

Smokey And The Bandit

(Mort Engelberg)

St. Ives

(Estate of Charles Bronson)

Telefon

(Estate of Charles Bronson)

Turner and Hooch

(Raymond Wagner)

What About Bob?

(Richard Dreyfuss)

Class Action Cases

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Donen v. Twentieth Century Fox
($25+ million)

Fears v. Wilhelmina
($25 million)

Friedman v. Guthy-Renker
($26 million)

Greenberg v. E-Trade
($7 million)

Higgins v. Paramount
($25+ million)

Higgins v. Universal
($25+ million)

In Re: WMG Digital Download Litigation
($13 million)

Martindale v. Sony Pictures
($25+ million)

Nelson v. Sony Music
($12.7+ million)

Ory. v. Columbia House
($6.5 million)

Osmond v. SAG
(tens of millions)

Richert v. WGA West
($100 million)

Risto v. AFM
($8.45+ million)

Williams v. UMG
($12 million)

Speaking Engagements

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2022

Entertainment Industry Conference
CalCPA

2020

Entertainment Law Year in Review, Ethics
Beverly Hills Bar Association

2018

Backend Optics: Profit Participations Through Different Lenses
Beverly Hills Bar Association, Entertainment Law Section

2018

I'm a Celebrity, You Can't Do That, (Can You?)
California Society of Entertainment Lawyers

2017

Entertainment Year in Review: Entertainment Litigation With Stars Of The Bar
Beverly Hills Bar Association, Entertainment Law Section

2014

The Right of Publicity: The State of The Current Law
Beverly Hills Bar Association, Entertainment Law Section

2012

The Ever-Evolving Courtroom Drama of Net Profits
Donald L. Stone's Inn of St. Ives

2012

Right of Publicity: How Much Is Your Client Really Worth?
Beverly Hills Bar Association, Entertainment Law Section

2011

Current Issues in Right of Likeness, Defamation and Privacy
Beverly Hills Bar Association, Entertainment Law Section

2011

Symposium: Injuries Without Remedies
Loyola Law School

Since 2012, Mr. Johnson has co-instructed a course on entertainment and media litigation as an Adjunct Professor at Southwestern School of Law.

Published Cases

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Simmons v. Bauer Media Group USA, LLC
50 Cal App.5th 1037 (2020)

Gerbosi v. Gaims, Weil, West & Epstein, LLP
193 Cal.App.4th 435 (2011)

Walker v. Geico General Ins. Co.
558 F.3d 1025 (9th Cir. 2009)

Sample Publications

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December 12, 2023

How to Navigate the Complexities of Non-Disparagement Clauses
Daily Journal

December 7, 2023

California Courts Continue to Circumscribe Anti-SLAPP Motions
Daily Journal

October 30, 2023

Generative AI Must Account for Artists' Rights of Publicity
Daily Journal

Summer 2023

The Troubling Trend of Online Exceptionalism to Copyright's Separate Accrual Rule
Entertainment, Arts and Sports Law Journal (NYSBA)

March 3, 2023

Florida Sides with California on Delayed Discovery in Copyright Cases
Daily Journal

Fall 2022

The Second and Ninth Circuits Diverge on Copyright Law's Discovery Rule
Entertainment, Arts and Sports Law Journal (NYSBA)

Spring 2022

The Top 3 Copyright Law Developments of 2022 (So Far)
Entertainment, Arts and Sports Law Journal (NYSBA)

Fall 2021

Say Goodbye to Back-End Deals
Entertainment, Arts and Sports Law Journal (NYSBA)

October 23, 2021

3 Music Litigation Developments in 2020-2021
Daily Journal

October 2021

Contract, Fraud, and Libel Damages
Advocate Magazine (CAASC)

September 16, 2021

3 Music Litigation Developments in 2020-2021
Daily Journal

Summer 2021

Recent Developments In Entertainment Law: Defamation Jurisdiction, Copyright, and Talent Contest Agreements
Entertainment, Arts and Sports Law Journal (NYSBA)

July 6, 2021

Black Windows: Scarlett Jo vs Disney
Daily Journal

July 22, 2021

Recent Right of Privacy Developments
Daily Journal

Spring 2021

Developments In Libel, Social Media, Privacy and The Right of Publicity
Entertainment, Arts and Sports Law Journal (NYSBA)

Spring 2021

Copyright Developments in 2020
Entertainment, Arts and Sports Law Journal (NYSBA)

April 22, 2021

Pandemic-era Appellate Rulings Take on Arbitration
Daily Journal

Spring 2020

Recent Interesting Cases
Entertainment, Arts and Sports Law Journal (NYSBA)

June 6, 2020

Hollywood Docket: Trending: Data Privacy, Copyright Trolling, And A Clause To Keep In Mind
Entertainment, Arts and Sports Law Journal (NYSBA)

August 2, 2020

Recent Development In Copyright Law
Daily Journal

July 13, 2020

COVID-19 And The Return To Film Production In California
Daily Journal

Winter 2020

Interesting New Developments About Which All Practitioners Should Be Aware Of
Entertainment, Arts and Sports Law Journal (NYSBA)

December 2019

My Big Mouth
Advocate Magazine (CAASC)

Spring 2019

Entertainment Contracts With Minors in New York and California
Entertainment, Arts and Sports Law Journal (NYSBA)

2019

Defamation and Invasion of Privacy in the Internet Age
Southwestern Journal of International Law

March 29, 2019

When Will Legal Communication Result In Liability?
Daily Journal

November 27, 2018

Entertainment Contracts With Minors: Clarification Needed
Daily Journal

2018

Tales and Lessons Regarding the Right of Publicity
USC Entertainment Law Spotlight

Summer 2018

Hollywood Docket: Tales and Lessons Regarding the Right of Publicity
Entertainment, Arts and Sports Law Journal (NYSBA)

Spring 2018

Hollywood Docket: Essential Clauses for Drafting an Ironclad Release and Consent Agreement
Entertainment, Arts and Sports Law Journal (NYSBA)

April/May 2017

Before You Sign That Deal At Cannes…
Produced By (Producers Guild of America)

Fall/Winter 2017

Hollywood Docket: Making the Perfect Pitch
Entertainment, Arts and Sports Law Journal (NYSBA)

Summer 2016

Hollywood Docket: One-Sided World
Entertainment, Arts and Sports Law Journal (NYSBA)

October 26, 2016

A New Way to Revive a Corporation
Daily Journal

Fall 2016

Hollywood Docket: Social Media, the Law, and You
Entertainment, Arts and Sports Law Journal (NYSBA)

Fall 2010

What Happened to Unjust Enrichment in California? The Deterioration of Equity in the California Courts
Loyola of Los Angeles Law Review

Education

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J.D.

J.D., University of the Pacific, McGeorge School of Law, 2000, Dean's List

B.A.

B.A., University of Southern California, 1996, Dean's List

Practice Areas

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Entertainment Litigation

Complex Business Litigation

Class Action Litigation

Intellectual Property Litigation

Rights of Privacy and Publicity

Defamation, Media, and First Amendment Law

Admissions

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California

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Managing Partner

Professional Experience

Representative Matters

Profit Participation Cases

Class Action Cases

Speaking Engagements

Published Cases

Sample Publications

Education

J.D.

B.A.

Practice Areas

Admissions

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