April Expert Series CLE: ‘Entertainment Law and Coronavirus’

The April Expert Series CLE, “Entertainment Law and Coronavirus,” is available for viewing. The speakers included:

  • Timothy J. “Tim” Browne, Bass Berry & Sims PLC, Nashville, Tenn.
  • Melinda Morris Zanoni, Apollo Sports & Entertainment Law Group PLLC, Charlotte.

To access the CLE, click here.

In this CLE, Tim Browne and Melinda Zanoni discuss how COVID-19 has affected the practice of entertainment law, including challenges as content pivots to digital platforms, legal triage for counseling clients on how to operate in a lockdown, and COVID-defying solutions to pandemic problems faced by entertainment clients. Find out how to limit coronavirus liability at venues and discuss revisiting entertainment contract force majeure clauses in the era of COVID.

**Each month, the NCBA releases one-hour, on-demand CLEs, which are free of charge as the costs are included as part of your annual NCBA dues.

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MIP’s Diverse Perspectives: Neubia Harris

MIP’s Diverse Perspectives is a monthly blog feature to spotlight a member from North Carolina’s community of diverse attorneys and legal professionals. Members have the opportunity to share a personal perspective through a brief set of interview questions.

This month’s perspective is courtesy of Neubia Harris, Managing Attorney, The Law Office of Neubia L. Harris, PLLC.

What law school did you attend and what was your graduation year?

Wake Forest University School of Law, 2010. Read more

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Cryptocurrency, NFTs, Collectibles, and IP – NBA and the Arts Cross Over Into New Territory

By Daniel Goldstein

In today’s age, blockchain, cryptocurrencies, and non-fungible tokens (NFTs) are sweeping the headlines and making buzz in the press. From artists, to musicians (Kings of Leon, Mike Shinoda), to athletes, investors and businesspeople alike, many are taking advantage of the juxtaposition of cryptocurrencies and their respective industries. It will be fascinating to see how this convergence between collectibles and cryptocurrencies develops.

NFTs are essentially digital collectibles – they can represent things (a tweet, or an asset) or they can be things (like art, or a highlight). The value proposition here is that these NFTs are unique in the digital sense. They exist on a blockchain, which is a decentralized, often public, digital ledger consisting of records called blocks. The blockchain is used to record transactions across multiple computers so that any involved block cannot be altered retroactively without the alteration of all subsequent blocks. So, while anyone can copy and download a video highlight package or image file, the NFT has a record saying that it only has one owner. Well-known entrepreneur Gary Vaynerchuck has compared NFTs to various “skins” or costumes that players can purchase in a video game. In fact, a few weeks ago, the New York Times ran a story about a work of art in the form of an NFT that sold online for $69 million.

Read more

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Letter to Adelaide

This piece was selected as a winning entry in the YLD’s 2021 Writing Competition.

By Cara N. Ludwig

Dear Daughter,

Today is your first birthday! In some ways, it was typical: a colorful cake and a few gifts you opened and then happily ignored while you played with the boxes. In other ways, it was not at all typical. There was no big gathering to share in your joy. No baptism at church. No trip to the park to celebrate with friends.

It was just us, at home, loving you within the confines of these four walls. As we have done day after day after day.

Your nursery is decorated with globes and maps and signs reminding you that “adventure is waiting for you, little one.” From the moment you were born, I have anticipated traveling the world with you, seeing each new experience through your precious eyes.

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Induction of Robert C. Hunter into the NCBA Legal Practice Hall of Fame

By Henry P. Van Hoy, II

Robert C. Hunter was among a distinguished group of inductees into the North Carolina Bar Association Legal Practice Hall of Fame, class of 2020. I was pleased to nominate Judge Hunter and want readers to know some of the reasons the selection committee chose Bob for induction.

Bob has been married to his lovely wife, Nancy, for 49 years. They have two children and a slew of grandchildren. Having a loving and supportive family is a predicate to success and happiness. A long marriage indicates loving commitment, service, sublimation of self, devotion, deep and abiding values, depth of character, and the ability to work through and solve problems, all characteristics Bob possesses in spades. These qualities are reflected in Bob’s dedication to the law and to his efforts to make his community, the state, the judiciary, and the legal profession better. His daughter, Claire, is a lawyer following in her dad’s footsteps. I submit that Claire chose to become a lawyer because she deemed her Dad’s career is worthy of following, high praise. Read more

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