Superman!
“Y.M.C.A.”!
Section 14 of the Copyright Act (Canada)?
Court battles waged by the heirs of the co-creators of Superman and the co-writer of “Y.M.C.A” (Victor Willis, the “cop”, in case you were wondering) are just two examples of efforts by artists in the United States to reclaim their copyrights using statutory termination rights. Copyright laws in the United States and Canada recognize certain “inalienable” rights on the part of authors to terminate grants of copyright (in the United States) or to have grants of copyright revert to an author’s estate (in both the United States and Canada). In the United States, significant litigation looms on the horizon as artists attempt to terminate grants of copyright to record companies and movie studios. In Canada, many people, even entertainment lawyers, are unaware that a “reversionary” right even exists.
The Ontario Bar Association’s Entertainment, Media & Communications Law Section presents a CPD session which will offer a comprehensive overview of US and Canadian legislation and caselaw regarding copyright termination and reversionary rights, providing attendees with the tools to identify and respond to potential termination/reversion issues for their clients – be they creators or owners of copyrights.
Moderated by Angelika Heim, featuring presentations by Adam Davids and Bob Tarantino, this breakfast program will be taking place on Tuesday, March 26, 2013, and can be attended both in-person and via webcast. Registration information is available here.
