Copyright Laws

Morris Music Law specializes in all aspects of music copyright laws. Our clients work with an experienced music copyright attorney to understand their rights and revenue, and ensure that they are protected in all their music contracts. It is essential for music professionals and music businesses to retain a music copyright lawyer who focuses on music copyright law because copyright is the fundamental law that helps establish a property right in all music and recordings. TV and film companies, as well as any business with music-related products or services also need a specialized music copyright lawyer because music copyright law is often the most complex of all copyright laws.

Morris Music Law is a niche law firm that specializes in all music copyright law related matters such as music and sound recording copyright registration, work for hire agreements, 360 deals, music licensing, and publishing agreements. We also provide clients with a copyright infringement attorney who zealously works to enforce or defend any copyright infringement claim. Our copyright infringement lawyers work with artists, songwriters, publishers, labels, and other businesses to understand their rights and negotiate with the other side to hopefully avoid court. If litigation is required, we work with specialized litigation firms to help our clients enforce or defend their rights in a lawsuit. However, we aim to hopefully avoid court and instead craft deals that are a win-win for both sides because both sides often lose if they go to court, regardless of the outcome.

Examples of other music copyright law services we provide include reclaiming music or recording copyrights that were previously assigned, preparing any type of copyright registration application, responding to office actions in connection with any copyright registration, and advising any business that uses music on the legal requirements and music licenses needed for their use of music. Recent clients include advising a band about use of a popular melody in their original song, helping to secure synchronization rights for a TV production company, and assisting an indie label and publisher client that has an oldies catalog to take down infringing material from iTunes, Spotify, and all other digital services.

Other recent examples of how Morris Music Law assisted clients with music copyright issues include advising on “fair use” and determining whether an older work is in the public domain. If a work is in the public domain, then it is no longer protected under copyright and is available for the public to use. If a work that uses another’s copyrighted work is found to be “fair use” then the new work does not need permission and may be freely exploited without infringing the copyright of the earlier work. Determining whether a work is “fair use” or in the public domain often involves specialized knowledge of the law or relevant cases that the attorneys at Morris Music Law focus on understanding so we can best advise and counsel our clients.

Even though the Copyright Office is located in Washington D.C., Los Angeles is very important to copyright law because the entertainment industry produces so many of America’s copyrights resulting in important 9th Circuit case law. Morris Music Law is strategically located in Los Angeles near Federal Court in downtown Los Angeles and state courts in Los Angeles County that are home to some of the most important music copyright cases. Morris Music Law also works closely with the Copyright Society of the USA to ensure that our attorneys are connected with major copyright attorneys throughout America. Additionally, Jesse E. Morris, Esq. is the former co-chair of CSUSA’s Los Angeles Chapter, where he helped organize speaking events in Los Angeles with leading copyright experts.