California privacy law has entered a new phase. In Part One of this two-part episode of The Briefing, Weintraub Tobin Partners Scott Hervey and Richard Buckley breaks down California’s new CCPA regulations governing Automated Decision making Technology, or ADMT. This episode explains how the amended rules go beyond data collection and sharing to regulate how businesses use algorithms, artificial intelligence, and automated tools to make decisions about people.
In this episode, they cover:
Who Really Owns Your Startup’s IP?
The Most Overlooked Mistake That Can Kill Your Company Before It Starts
Most founders assume their company owns what it builds. It doesn’t, at least not automatically.
Under U.S. law, the person who creates intellectual property owns it unless they’ve assigned it in writing. That means your company may not own its core code, designs, or brand even if you paid for them.
I’ve seen financings delayed, acquisitions fall apart, and founders lose control of their own products because they never secured clear IP ownership. It’s the single most common, and most avoidable, legal mistake in early-stage companies.
Continue Reading Who Really Owns Your Startup’s IP?The Briefing: Why Lady Gaga Beat a Trademark Injunction Over “Mayhem”
We previously covered the trademark lawsuit filed by Lost International against Lady Gaga over her use of “Mayhem” in connection with her album, tour, and related merchandise. Now the court has ruled, denying Lost’s motion for a preliminary injunction. In this episode of The Briefing, Weintraub Tobin partners Scott Hervey and Tara Sattler break down the court’s order and what it signals about the Rogers test after the Supreme Court’s Jack Daniel’s decision.
In this episode, they cover:
Continue Reading The Briefing: Why Lady Gaga Beat a Trademark Injunction Over “Mayhem”The Briefing: Top Gun Cleared for Takeoff: The Ninth Circuit Affirms Paramount’s Copyright Win
The Ninth Circuit kicked off 2026 with a major copyright decision in the long-running Top Gun dispute, affirming summary judgment for Paramount in the lawsuit over Top Gun: Maverick. In this episode of The Briefing, Weintraub Tobin shareholders Scott Hervey and Tara Sattler break down the Ninth Circuit’s reasoning and why it matters for studios, writers, and anyone adapting real-world stories.
In this episode, they cover:
Continue Reading The Briefing: Top Gun Cleared for Takeoff: The Ninth Circuit Affirms Paramount’s Copyright WinThe Briefing: The 2026 Entertainment Law Forecast: Navigating Fair Use, AI Training, and Trademark Trends
The year 2025 left the media and entertainment industry with a series of significant, unresolved legal questions. As we move into 2026, several high-profile cases are poised to redefine the boundaries of fair use, the legality of AI training, and the application of the Rogers Test in trademark law.
Continue Reading The Briefing: The 2026 Entertainment Law Forecast: Navigating Fair Use, AI Training, and Trademark Trends