Perry Law

Welcome to Perry Law’s IP law blog, where you will find all the latest developments, cases, and headlines concerning publishing law. Please be advised that the information contained in the articles are for information purposes only and do not constitute legal advice. Parties seeking legal advice should consult with legal counsel familiar with their particular circumstances.

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Simon and Schuster Wins Libel Case but Two SCOTUS Justices Want to Reexamine NY Times v. Sullivan

Joseph Perry, Esq.

Jul 7, 2021
2 min

Simon and Schuster Wins Libel Case but Two SCOTUS Justices Want to Reexamine NY Times v. Sullivan

Last week, the Supreme Court of the United States denied a request to hear Berisha v. Lawson, a libel case brought by the son of a...

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Legal Issues to Avoid When Writing Your Memoir

Joseph Perry, Esq.

Jul 2, 2021
3 min

Legal Issues to Avoid When Writing Your Memoir

When you sit down to write your memoir, there are some legal issues that you need to be cognizant of, such as defamation, invasion of...

64 views0 comments

Using Song Lyrics in Books

Joseph Perry, Esq.

Jun 29, 2021
2 min

Using Song Lyrics in Books

Song lyrics are copyrighted, and music publishers are notorious for being litigious. With that in mind, there are a few things you can do...

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Can I Use Brands in My Novel?

Joseph Perry, Esq.

Jun 28, 2021
1 min

Can I Use Brands in My Novel?

The short answer is yes. Just be careful not to violate trademark laws or defame any companies. Below is a very short introduction to try...

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SCOTUS Sides with Cheerleader in Most Significant Student Free Speech Ruling in Nearly 50 Years

Joseph Perry, Esq.

Jun 24, 2021
2 min

SCOTUS Sides with Cheerleader in Most Significant Student Free Speech Ruling in Nearly 50 Years

The Supreme Court of the United States ruled in an 8-1 opinion that Mahanoy Area School District’s suspension of student Brandi Levy from...

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Oxford University Press To Close Print Arm

Joseph Perry, Esq.

Jun 23, 2021
1 min

Oxford University Press To Close Print Arm

On August 27th, Oxford University Press will close its centuries-old print arm. Oxford University was first given recognition to print...

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Authors Can Register Social Media Posts and Blog Entries with US Copyright Office

Joseph Perry, Esq.

Jun 23, 2021
1 min

Authors Can Register Social Media Posts and Blog Entries with US Copyright Office

This post is a reminder for social media influencers and authors to take advantage of the group copyright registration option at the US...

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HarperCollins Acquires MLK Archives

Joseph Perry, Esq.

Jun 22, 2021
1 min

HarperCollins Acquires MLK Archives

HarperCollins has acquired world rights to Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s archives, including all formats and languages, such as...

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Authors Take Advantage of Group Copyright Registrations for Unpublished Works

Joseph Perry, Esq.

Jun 22, 2021
1 min

Authors Take Advantage of Group Copyright Registrations for Unpublished Works

If you are an author who has written multiple works that have not yet been published, you should look into registering your works in a...

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3 Tips on Negotiating Out-of-Print Clauses in Book Contracts

Joseph Perry, Esq.

Jun 20, 2021
1 min

3 Tips on Negotiating Out-of-Print Clauses in Book Contracts

If you aren't happy with your publisher and/or your book isn't selling and you want your rights back, you'll need to protect yourself...

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The Great Gatsby, Mrs. Dalloway, In Our Time Among Works Entering Public Domain in 2021

Joseph Perry, Esq.

Jun 19, 2021
1 min

The Great Gatsby, Mrs. Dalloway, In Our Time Among Works Entering Public Domain in 2021

This post is a reminder that as of January 1, 2021, copyrighted works from 1925 entered the public domain. Works from 1925 were supposed...

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DOJ Drops Case Over John Bolton’s Memoir

Joseph Perry, Esq.

Jun 18, 2021
1 min

DOJ Drops Case Over John Bolton’s Memoir

On June 16th, the Department of Justice dropped its lawsuit against former President Trump's national security advisor John Bolton over...

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Oxford University Press US Employees Unionize

Joseph Perry, Esq.

Jun 17, 2021
1 min

Oxford University Press US Employees Unionize

New York-based employees at Oxford University Press USA have unionized. In a statement, the employees listed the concerns as: Job...

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Wall Street Journal Revises Policy on Approving Employees’ Books

Joseph Perry, Esq.

Jun 16, 2021
1 min

Wall Street Journal Revises Policy on Approving Employees’ Books

Dow Jones, the parent company of the Wall Street Journal, recently announced that it is revising its policy on books written by Wall...

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New York’s Post-Mortem Right of Publicity Law Goes into Effect

Joseph Perry, Esq.

Jun 15, 2021
1 min

New York’s Post-Mortem Right of Publicity Law Goes into Effect

On May 29, 2021, New York’s post-mortem right of publicity law went into effect, which is codified as NY Civil Rights Law Section 50-f....

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SCOTUS To Hear Copyright Registration Case Next Term

Joseph Perry, Esq.

Jun 15, 2021
1 min

SCOTUS To Hear Copyright Registration Case Next Term

Recently, the US Supreme Court granted certiorari in Unicolors Inc. v. H&M Hennes and Mauritz, where it will tackle a technical issue in...

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Tips on Negotiating Grant of Rights Clauses In Author Agreements

Joseph Perry, Esq.

Jun 13, 2021
3 min

Tips on Negotiating Grant of Rights Clauses In Author Agreements

Usually the first provision you will see in a book publishing agreement will be the grant of rights section. A sample clause states the...

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New York Is Second State to Pass E-Book Library Bill.

Joseph Perry, Esq.

Jun 12, 2021
1 min

New York Is Second State to Pass E-Book Library Bill.

Earlier this week, New York became the second state to pass a library e-book bill, just days after Maryland passed a similar bill into...

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Tips on Delivering Your Manuscript

Joseph Perry, Esq.

Jun 12, 2021
2 min

Tips on Delivering Your Manuscript

After the grant of rights provision, you may see a provision about delivering your manuscript. At a bare minimum, you may see language...

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Tips on Negotiating Representations and Warranties in Author Agreements

Joseph Perry, Esq.

Jun 11, 2021
2 min

Tips on Negotiating Representations and Warranties in Author Agreements

When a publisher decides to acquire your book, they are essentially taking a risk that what you are providing them won’t violate the law....

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