Corey Field

Intellectual Property, Intellectual Property Litigation, Communications, Trademarks, Copyrights

Corey Field is of counsel in the Intellectual Property Department and a member of the Entertainment and Media, Intellectual Property Litigation, Trademark and Copyright, and Communications Groups.

Mr. Field is the current President of The Copyright Society of the U.S.A., and is the Principal Author of the treatise "Entertainment Law: Forms and Analysis," published by Law Journal Press, New York (2011).

Mr. Field concentrates his practice in copyright and entertainment law, including copyright litigation, licensing, and registration; trademark registration and litigation; and media law, including advertising law, FTC compliance, and the right of publicity. He has also litigated design and utility patents, including before the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit.

Among those clients Mr. Field has represented in intellectual property matters are an international music publishing company; a major-label record company and its music-publishing affiliate; composers of film, concert, and operatic works; recording artists; symphony orchestras; concert and multimedia presenters; the estate of a Broadway composer; the estate of a novelist and screenwriter; independent and documentary filmmakers; television advertising production companies; cable television production companies; a live-concert website; a computer-game website offering digital delivery of music; book and magazine publishers; software companies; direct response advertising companies; a celebrity-endorsement marketing company; a Major League Baseball franchise; a cable television sports network; a producer of staged musicals; and a broadband Internet service provider.

Before becoming an attorney, Mr. Field was an executive in the international music-publishing industry, where he served as Vice President of European American Music Distributors Corporation, the U.S. affiliate of the European publishers Schott Musik International (Mainz, London, Tokyo, Paris, New York, Madrid) and Universal Edition (Vienna, London, New York). He was also director of New Media Administration for J.W. Pepper & Son, Inc., the world's largest distributor of printed music, where he coordinated online digital distribution agreements with music publishers nationwide.

As a board member, Mr. Field currently serves as the President of The Copyright Society of the U.S.A. (New York), as a Trustee of the Marlboro Music School and Festival (Vermont), as a Trustee of the Kurt Weill Foundation for Music, Inc. (New York), as a member of the BMI Foundation, Inc.'s Advisory Panel, and as a member of the Grammy Foundation's Entertainment Law Initiative Advisory Committee. He formerly served as Treasurer of the American Music Center (New York), as a Governor of the Philadelphia Chapter of the Recording Academy, and as a board member of the Music Publishers' Association of the United States. 

Mr. Field has been widely published in scholarly journals and media industry publications on the subjects of copyright, entertainment, media, and advertising law, and has also been a guest commentator on television programs. He is the editor and author of several published and recorded musical compositions and arrangements.

Representative Matters

• Represented a nationally renowned arts venue and performing group in negotiations with an international production company and cable television network for a reality television production
• Represented a dance ensemble in negotiations for live performance, television, and other media
• Represented a cable television and broadband service provider in negotiating a celebrity endorsement agreement for video on demand
• Represented a cable television production company, negotiating, creating, and securing music publishing rights for television and radio series
• Represented a music publishing company, advising on valuation and sale of a catalog
• Represented a private investment company, advising on intellectual property due diligence in connection with the acquisition of a leading international direct-to-consumer retailer of entertainment media, including books, music, and motion pictures
• Represented documentary filmmakers, negotiating rights clearances, PBS broadcast, and DVD production rights
• Represented an online film festival, negotiating agreements for Internet and video distribution
• Represented a computer-game website based in the Far East, advising on an agreement for online streaming of major-label sound recordings and videos
• Represented a foundation that produces televised musical concerts, negotiating with German television for European broadcast rights and worldwide DVD rights
• Represented television advertising production companies, reviewing long-form scripts for FTC compliance
• Represented a Pulitzer Prize-winning composer, negotiating international music publishing agreements
• Represented a recording artist and songwriter who is a minor, securing court approval of a major label recording agreement and a music publishing agreement
• Represented a live dance performing group in negotiations for a successful run of featured performances at a leading Las Vegas casino hotel
• Represented an international human rights organization, advising on rights and music royalties pertaining to a DVD of a world famous relief concert
• Represented a professional sports league, advising on rights clearance issues for a documentary production following a team on tour
• Represented a television advertising production company, negotiating the settlement of a right of publicity dispute with a leading 20th century figure
• Represented a website that offers immediate download of music performed at live concerts, advising on music licensing
• Represented the founding member of a prominent rhythm & blues group, litigating a sound-recording royalties dispute
• Represented a professional sports league, negotiating motion picture rights for use of trademarked logos in a feature film
• Represented a chamber music ensemble, advising on a worldwide talent management agreement
• Represented a leading New York City performing arts presenting organization, drafting an international commission agreement among the presenter, a composer, and a European-based orchestra
• Represented a nationwide consortium of American orchestras, negotiating and drafting a consortium commission agreement with a Pulitzer Prize-winning composer
• Represented a filmmaker, advising on defamation and privacy issues in a documentary
• Represented a filmmaker, advising on a Web-linking agreement with a television network website
• Represented the estate of a novelist and a screenwriter, terminating a motion picture studio's copyright license for a novel used as the basis for a classic film noir of the 1940s
• Represented a book publisher, negotiating and securing publication rights for a book on industrial design
• Represented a magazine publisher, drafting rights acquisition and digital licensing agreements, including regarding online database access
• Represented a recording artist, negotiating a recording agreement for a CD to accompany a music textbook
• Represented a European music publisher, negotiating a settlement of a copyright infringement claim against a major motion picture production company
• Represented a music publisher, negotiating settlement of a copyright infringement claim against a record company over mechanical royalties and first recording rights
• Represented a filmmaker, advising on life story rights and releases for a documentary film on an Olympic athlete
• Represented an international music publishing company on copyright issues under European and U.S. laws
• Represented a broadband Internet provider, negotiating music licensing rights for a company event
• Represented a cable television sports network, advising on music licensing and copyright matters
• Represented a national music education organization, obtaining trademark registrations
• Represented a software manufacturer, negotiating settlement of a copyright infringement matter with a European-based advertising agency
• Represented a Major League Baseball franchise, negotiating a commission agreement with a sculptor for statues of Major League players at a baseball stadium
• Represented an opera composer, drafting an agreement with a librettist
• Represented a symphony orchestra, re-acquiring sound-recording copyrights from a record label that had declared bankruptcy.
• Represented a conductor/arranger, negotiating a commission agreement with a leading international ballet company based in New York
• Represented a music production company, advising on a national touring agreement with performers
• Represented the estate of a novelist, negotiating option agreements with production companies for motion picture rights
• Represented the estate of a novelist, negotiating worldwide reprint rights for short stories and novels
• Represented the estate of a composer of concert and Broadway works, advising on copyright termination rights
• Represented a nationwide dance instruction franchise, negotiating endorsement agreements with a prominent celebrity
• Represented a production company, advising on copyright and licensing issues for music, text, and photographs for a full evening musical presentation
• Represented a marketing company, negotiating rights to celebrity-endorsed restaurants and merchandise
• Represented the publisher of a poster, successfully appealing copyright registration denial to the U.S. Copyright Office
• Represented a modern dance company, negotiating grand rights licenses for original choreography
• Represented a performing arts presenter, negotiating grand rights licenses for a U.S. tour by a Russian ballet company
• Represented a manufacturing company, litigating design patent infringement cases
• Represented a household products designer, litigating a copyright infringement case
• Represented a hotel owner, litigating a trademark dispute before the Trademark Trial and Appeal Board
• Represented a software-font manufacturer, litigating trademark rights to a typefont name
• Represented numerous copyright owners, obtaining copyright registrations and recordations for works, including musical compositions, sound recordings, websites, multimedia works, audio visual works, books, photographs, and works of visual art

Professional Activities

The Copyright Society of the U.S.A., President

BMI Foundation, Inc., Advisory Panel

Marlboro Music School and Festival (Vermont), Trustee

Kurt Weill Foundation for Music, Inc. (New York), Trustee

Los Angeles Copyright Society

American Intellectual Property Law Association (AIPLA)

Beverly Hills Bar Association Entertainment Law Section

California Copyright Conference

Association of Independent Music Publishers

American Music Center (New York), past Treasurer

Recognition & Accomplishments

The Best Lawyers in America, copyright law, 2007-2012

Chambers USA: America’s Leading Lawyers for Business, 2008

ASCAP Nathan Burkan Memorial Competition, for a paper on copyright law

National Grand Prize, Entertainment Law Initiative legal writing competition, co-sponsored by the Recording Academy and the American Bar Association

Paul Revere Awards, more than 10, for excellence in music publishing, presented by the Music Publishers' Association of the United States

Publications

"Entertainment Law: Forms and Analysis," published by Law Journal Press, New York, 2011

"The Drama of Copyright Law," The Daily Journal (Los Angeles), May 25, 2010

"Copyright – My Story: A One-Woman Play," 17 J. Intell. Property Law 35, 2010

"Trademark Creation Strategies: From A to Zzzzzzzap," Electronic Retailer, August 2007

"The Brave New World of New Media," interview with Corey Field, The Metropolitan Corporate Counsel, February 2007

"Should Congress Enact Copyright Protection for Fashion Design?" Electronic Retailer, September 2006

"Entertainment and Media Law for the Twenty-First Century," The Metropolitan Corporate Counsel, February 2006

"Success by Design: An Introduction to Design Patents," Electronic Retailer, November 2005

"'Owning It:' Copyright Ownership Basics for the Advertising Industry," Electronic Retailer, June 2005; Entertainment, Publishing and the Arts Handbook, 2006-2007 

"'The Symphony of Selling:' Music Licensing Basics for the Advertising Industry," Electronic Retailer, December 2004

"Berne Goes to the Movies: Moral Rights Equivalents Come to the Fore in United States Film Industry Litigation," Copyright World (London), July/August 2003; Entertainment, Publishing and the Arts Handbook, 2004-2005

"The Public Domain Constituency: New Developments in the Copyright Balance of Power," Copyright World (London), February 2003

"Copyright, Technology, and Time: Perspectives on 'Interactive' as a Term of Art in Copyright Law," Journal of the Copyright Society of the U.S.A. 2003; Entertainment, Publishing and the Arts Handbook, 2003-2004

"Corporations and Copyright in Cyberspace: 'Hidden' Internet Regulation and the Corporate Director's Duty to Monitor – UMG Recordings v. MP3.com Seen from the Perspective of In Re Caremark International Inc. Derivative Litigation," Delaware Journal of Corporate Law 2002; Entertainment, Publishing and the Arts Handbook,  2003-2004 

"Copyright Co-Ownership in Cyberspace: The Digital Merger of Content and Technology in Digital Rights Management and e-commerce," Entertainment and Sports Lawyer Fall 2001; Entertainment, Publishing and the Arts Handbook, 2002-2003

"Did Napster Save Copyright? A Proposal to Amend Section 511 of the Copyright Act Using A&M Records v. Napster to Solve the Supreme Court’s Eleventh Amendment Abrogation Riddle," Journal of the Copyright Society of the U.S.A.,  2001; Entertainment, Publishing, and the Arts Handbook, 2003-2004

"New Uses and New Percentages: Music Contracts, Royalties, and Distribution Models in the Digital Millennium," (full version) UCLA Entertainment Law Review, 2000; (condensed version) Entertainment and Sports Lawyer 2000; Entertainment, Publishing and the Arts Handbook 2001-2002; Syllabus, 2001 UCLA Entertainment Law Symposium "e-Hollywood, the Sequel"

"Their Master’s Voice? Recording Artists, Bright Lines, and Bowie Bonds: The Debate Over Sound Recordings as Works Made for Hire," Journal of the Copyright Society of the U.S.A., 2000; Entertainment, Publishing and the Arts Handbook, 2002-2003

Editor, The Musician's Guide to Symphonic Music

Contributor, "Post-trial Matters," Chapter 15, Philadelphia Court of Common Pleas Civil Practice Manual, 13th Edition, Pennsylvania Bar Institute 2007

Speaking Engagements

Moderator, "Truth and Dare: Celebrities and Social Media," Beverly Hills Bar Association Entertainment Law Section, February 15, 2012, Beverly Hills

Program Co-Chair, "Solutions to Piracy of Intellectual Property," Beverly Hills Bar Association Entertainment Law Section, Beverly Hills, December 14, 2011

"Copyright Law as the Blueprint of the Music Industry," The Copyright Society of the U.S.A., Northern California Chapter, San Francisco, October 6, 2011

Panel Moderator, "Proprietary Rights, IP, and the Internet," American Bar Association IP Section / Los Angeles County Bar Association IP Section, Los Angeles, September 20, 2011

"Selling and Licensing Technology in Emerging Markets," Utah Technology Council, Salt Lake City, July 2011

Guest appearance on The Ed Bernstein Show, speaking on entertainment law, including copyright, trademarks, and celebrity rights of publicity, KSNV-TV (NBC affiliate in Las Vegas), June 2011

Panelist, "The Future of Intellectual Property: An Evening With Judge Alex Kozinski and Friends," Los Angeles County Bar Association Entertainment Law and Intellectual Property Section, Los Angeles, May 2011

"Rights, Royalties, Sales and Licenses: Is the Eminem Verdict the First of Many?" National Association of Recording Merchandisers (NARM) Annual Conference, Los Angeles, May 2011

Guest speaker in copyright law seminar, "Copyright Law in the Entertainment Industry," Southwestern Law School, Los Angeles, March 2011

Panel moderator, "Live Performance: Copyright Issues in Live Performance Including Musicals, Plays, Choreography, and Opera," The Copyright Society of the U.S.A. Mid-Winter meeting, Santa Fe, New Mexico, February 2011

"Copyright Law for Filmmakers," Syracuse University College of Visual and Performing Arts, Department of Transmedia, Film Program, November 2010

"The Developing Storm of Copyright Termination: Who Wins, Who Loses, and How Will it Really Work?" National Association of Recording Merchandisers (NARM), Los Angeles, October 2010

"Copyright Law for Filmmakers," Syracuse University College of Visual and Performing Arts, Department of Transmedia, Film Program, October 2009

"Copyright and Contracts," American composers Forum "Making Music Work," Minneapolis, April 2009

"Copyright and the Music Industry," Audio Engineering Society, Calgary and Banff, Alberta, Canada, January 2009

"The Film Business for Filmmakers," Syracuse University College of Visual and Performing Arts, Department of Transmedia, Film Program (via live video), September 2008

"Arts Administration and the Law," Drexel University, May 2008

"Copyright and Music Licensing for the Film Industry, " Visual Advocacy Seminar, University of Pennsylvania Law School, February 2008

"Copyright and the Music Industry, " Electronic Media Forum, Opera America, February 2008

"Music Licensing," Intellectual Property Licensing Today, American Law Institute-American Bar Association, Scottsdale, Arizona, January 2008

"Rights and Property in the Creative Arts: The Entertainment Lawyer," Drexel University Earle Mack School of Law Career Symposium, January 2008

"Digital Rights for the Music Industry," Chamber Music America Annual Conference, New York City, January 2008

"Ins and Outs of Intellectual Property for Filmmakers," Berks Movie Madness Festival, Berks Arts Council, Reading, Pennsylvania, October 2007

"Music Industry Copyright Lawsuits," Delaware Tonight, WHYY  TV, Wilmington and Philadelphia, October 2007

"Cross-Border Business Transactions: Intellectual Property and Related Issues," American Law Institute-American Bar Association, Toronto, Ontario, October 2007

"Intellectual Property and the Advertising Industry," Electronic Retailing Association, New York City,  2007

"Copyright and the Web: Community Web Sites Legal Issues," Money Matters Today, Comcast CN8-TV, Philadelphia, June 2007

"Arts Administration and the Law," Drexel University, May 2007

"Intellectual Property and the Direct Response Advertising Industry," Electronic Retailing Association, Santa Monica, California, April 2007

Moderator, "Music Industry Boot Camp for Entrepreneurs," Fox School of Business Innovation and Entrepreneurship Institute, Temple University, April 2007

"Protect Yourself: Copyright Essentials," Chamber Music America, New York City, April 2007

"Changing the Landscape: The Effect of New Digital Distribution Platforms on the Entertainment Industry" and "Courtroom Drama: Litigating Copyright, Trademark, and Breach of Contract Disputes," 10th Annual Entertainment and Sports Law Symposium, University of Miami (Florida) School of Law, February 2007

"Copyright Law and Literature: Representing Authors' Estates," GoodisCon 2007, Philadelphia, January 2007

"Copyright and the Works of David Goodis," The Copyright Society of the U.S.A., Philadelphia Chapter, January 2007

"Copyright Law and Literature: Representing Authors' Estates," PhiloBiblon Club, Philadelphia, January 2007

"YouTube and Community Web Sites: Copyright and Business Issues," Money Matters Today, Comcast CN8 TV, Philadelphia, November 2006

"Copyright, Technology, and Time: How Competing Interests Shape Digital Copyright Law in the United States," Rugters, The State University of New Jersey School of Law–Camden, November 2006

"Almost Famous: Lawyers in the Music Industry," Temple University James E. Beasley School of Law Sports & Entertainment Law Society and Intellectual Property Law Society, November 2006

"Copyright, Technology, and Time: How Competing Interests Shape Digital Copyright Law in the United States," Association Litteraire et Artistique Internationale (ALAI Canada), Toronto, Ontario, November 2006

"Copyright and Culture," Cinema Studies Program, University of Pennsylvania, September 2006

"The Score: Music for Film and Television," The Recording Academy, Philadelphia Chapter, July 2006

Moderator, "Creating a Dynamic Musical Destination," Global Creative Economy Convergence Summit, Philadelphia June 2006

"Copyright and Culture," Cinema Studies Program, University of Pennsylvania, June 2006

"The Fashion Police: The Fashion Industry and New Copyright Legislation," Money Matters Today, Comcast CN8-TV, Philadelphia, May 2006

"The Sixteenth Semi-Annual Business Policy Competition," Fox School of Business and Management, Temple University, April 2006

"Internet Law Update 2006," Pennsylvania Bar Institute, Philadelphia, April 2006

"Comprehending Copyrights," Money Matters Today, Comcast CN8-TV, Philadelphia, April 2006

"Grammy Professional Networking Event: 'In the Mix,'" The Recording Academy, Philadelphia Chapter, March 2006

"Life Story Rights for Motion Pictures," Money Matters Today, Comcast CN8-TV, Philadelphia, February 2006

"Making Money Making Music: Representing Clients in the New Music Industry," Philadelphia Volunteer Lawyers for the Arts CLE, October 2005

"Intellectual Property Protection in Direct Response Advertising," Electronic Retailing Association Annual Meeting, Las Vegas, September 2005

Moderator, "From the Front Page to the Big Screen: Real Stories, Real Drama, Reel Deals," Philadelphia, September 2005

"Copyright Registration: Copyright and New Technologies," U.S. Copyright Practice for Paralegals, Atlantic City, New Jersey, June 2005

Moderator, "Is Copyright Killing the Documentary Film?" The Copyright Society of the U.S.A., New York City Chapter, May 2005

"Barely There: The Borders of Copyright Protection and Design Patents," American Intellectual Property Law Association (AIPLA) Joint Meeting of Copyright and Antitrust Committees, Philadelphia, May 2005

"Entertainment vs. Technology," Money Matters Today, Comcast CN8-TV, Philadelphia, May 2005

"Intellectual Property Law in Advertising," Electronic Retailing Association Legal Series, New York City, May 2005; Santa Monica, California, April 2005

"Internet Law Update 2005," Pennsylvania Bar Institute, Philadelphia, April 2005

Moderator, "Is Copyright Killing the Documentary Film?" The Copyright Society of the U.S.A.,
Philadelphia Chapter, March 2005

"Intellectual Property Law," Widener University School of Law, Intellectual Property Society,
March 2005

"Copyright Law and the Internet," The Internet & Society, Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania, January 2005

"Copyright Law & the Music Industry" and "Music Publishing & Recording," Third Annual Music Law Conference, University of Florida Levin College of Law, January 2005

"Copyright and the Music Industry: Essentials for Composers," University of the Arts, Philadelphia, December 2004

"Recent developments relating to the Digital Millennium Copyright Act," Cyberlaw Seminar, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey School of Law–Camden, November 2004

"Filling the Copyright Gaps," Pennsylvania Bar Institute Internet Law Update, Philadelphia, April 2004

Moderator, "The Music Industry Right Now!" The Copyright Society of the U.S.A., Philadelphia Chapter , March 2004

"Download This! The Latest in Online Copyright Infringement," Ballard Spahr CLE, December 2003

"New Developments in Entertainment Law," Villanova University School of Law Entertainment & Sports Law Society, December 2003

"Intellectual Property Licensing," Ballard Spahr IP seminar, Philadelphia, November 2003

"Copyright Law and the Music Industry," Music as a Case Study class, New York University
Continuing and Professional Studies Division, September 2003

"New Media and its Effect on the Entertainment Industry: The Real Deal," Sixth Annual Entertainment and Sports Law Symposium, University of Miami (Florida) School of Law, April 2003

"Business Essentials for Composers: Copyright Law, Publishing Contracts, and Orchestral Commissioning Agreements," American Music Center workshop, New York City, March 2003

"Focus on Phillywood: Filmmaking and Copyright," Greater Philadelphia Film Office and The Copyright Society of the U.S.A., Philadelphia Chapter, March 2003

"Copyright Law, Publishing Contracts, and Orchestral Commissioning Agreements," Minnesota Orchestra Composer Institute, Minneapolis, October 2002

"Copyright Issues in Advertising Law," Intellectual Property Law Seminar, Philadelphia, 2002

"Music Business Bootcamp: Copyright and Trademark Issues," Philadelphia Volunteer Lawyers for the Arts workshop, August 2002

"Ownership of Intellectual Property: Do You Own What You Think You Own?" Intellectual Property Law Seminar, Philadelphia, June 2002

"Regulating the Creativity Market: Legal Aspects of Arts & Entertainment," University of Pennsylvania Law School: Penn IP Group, Philadelphia, April 2002

"Exclusive Recording Agreements," Fifth Annual Entertainment and Sports Law Symposium, University of Miami (Florida) School of Law, April 2002

"Every Composer's Business: Essentials for Your Career," American Music Center seminar, Northwestern University Music Department, April 2002

"Corporations and Copyright in Cyberspace," The Copyright Society of the U.S.A., Philadelphia Chapter, April 2001

Widener University School of Law (J.D. 2001, cum laude)
Member, The Delaware Journal of Corporate Law

University of York, England (D.Phil. 1984, music composition)

University of California, Santa Barbara (B.A. 1977, music)

California

New York

Pennsylvania

U.S. District Court for the Central District of California

U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California

U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York

U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania

U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit

U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit