The Evolution of Entertainment Law Firms in the Age of the Internet: The Top 7 Industry Trends of 2013
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1.) MORE LAWYERS HAVE SMARTPHONES THAN EVER
While this may seem a tad bit obvious, as a rise in smartphone use among everyone is actual occurring, one should take into account that lawyers have traditionally been "ahead of the curve" in owning business phones with multiple functions. Back in the day, attorneys were all about their Palm Pilots, which then evolved into the Blackberry. Attorneys were some of Blackberry's biggest fans, and although a small number still remain loyal to the old-school phones, an estimated 55% are now using iPhones.
2.) MORE LAW FIRMS ARE DEVELOPING THEIR OWN SMARTPHONE APPS
Clients do not want to scroll through boring text for hours on end just to find basic information on a law firm. They want to look up a law firm and have a mobile-optimized version of the website readily available. Some of the most important functions that law firm's now offer with their smartphone apps include GPS mapping to their offices, direct communication links, bulletins and current news, lawyer profiles, and video podcasts. Many anticipate even more developments to be made in the app arena, including document templates being made available for purchase, access to client's billing statements and easy bill pay options, and even photo evidence upload.
3.) THE ELECTRONIC COMMUNICATIONS PRIVACY ACT IS FINALLY BEING UPDATED
This law has been in effect since 1986, but in late 2012, the Senate Judiciary Committee voted to update it to include a warrant requirement for the inspection of emails, messages, IMs, PMs, texts, and other digital communications. This bill is expected to go from never being updated to being updated CONSTANTLY as more issues develop concerning one's privacy and electronics.
4.) ENTERTAINMENT COMPANIES ARE CRACKING DOWN ON PIRACY AND CAN ACTUALLY GET YOUR INTERNET CUT OFF
The Center for Copyright Information launched a new campaign aimed at cutting down on piracy this year. Entertainment companies can monitor your bandwidth and search for their own content being pirated on peer-to-peer sharing networks. If they see something is being pirated- they will notify your internet service provider (ISP). The ISP gives you six strikes. You are notified after each violation in writing, and the subscriber can be required to acknowledge the alert/violation, watch an educational video, or the ISP can even suspend your internet service entirely. Long gone are the days where you could download Blink 182's latest album for free, or find a digital copy of American Pie on Limewire to watch with you friends without any repercussions.
5.) COLLEGE FOOTBALL PLAYERS ARE TRADEMARKING IN AN EFFORT TO PROTECT THEIR BRAND
College football is as popular as ever right now, especially in the South. The NCAA, however, prohibits athletes from profiting from merchandise that capitalizes on their name or image. There's always a loophole though- these athletes are getting family members to register trademarks on their behalf, so that as soon as their eligibility expires, they can protect their brand and begin selling merchandise.
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| Johnny Manziel AKA "Johnny Football" has already had several legal issues arise relating to his family-registered trademark. |
6.) VIDEO GAMES, VIDEO GAMES, VIDEO GAMES
2013 brought us the Playstation 4 and the Xbox One. It also unleashed a ton of hugely successful video hames, such as Call of Duty Black Ops 2 and Grand Theft Auto V. Almost every popular video game requires the licensing of music, trademarks, copyrights, licensing of vehicle and weapon names, and so much more. The amount of intellectual property going into each video game creation and console is tremendous. As the gaming industry increases, so will the legal issues surrounding their products and services.
7.) RECENT COLLEGE GRADUATES ARE MORE EQUIPPED TO DEAL WITH THESE CHANGES
With all of the new laws and new technology, recent college graduates tend to be more equipped to deal with these changes. Most of today's long-practicing attorneys would have to be trained to develop concepts and platforms in order to utilize these trends, which takes valuable time and money away from actual law practice. Younger attorneys who are fresh out of law school, and perhaps hold undergraduate or graduate degrees relating to technology and business, will have an advantage over the older attorneys. Though they still lack litigation and research experience, they now have the ability to very quickly access research, information, and interactive data right at their fingertips. Many also have skills in developing/building websites, social media marketing and branding, and developing smartphone applications. These skills do not have to be taught to a new graduate- they can dive right in and begin offering new, innovative solutions to their clients.
All in all, 2013 has been a progressive year for the booming entertainment industry. Entertainment law will continue to evolve and change as well, allowing a new era of tech-savvy new attorneys to grab a hold of the reigns and speed off towards a successful practice.
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