Robbins Firm Obtains Dismissal of Key Claims Alleged Against Our Clients in Case Involving a High Profile Charity Event

We represent clients that provided event planning and production services and video and audio equipment, respectively, for a high-profile charity event at Philips Arena that involved numerous famous guests of honor and performing artists.  The charitable organization that hosted the event and the contractor it retained to oversee the production of the event (the “Plaintiffs”), however, failed to pay for the event planning and production services that they received.  Despite this failure, the Plaintiffs sued our clients to obtain the video footage of the event that one of our clients created (the “Video”), which the Plaintiffs claimed would generate millions of dollars in syndication fees.  The Plaintiffs alleged that they were entitled to the Video pursuant to a contract that required one of our clients to provide video and audio equipment to the event, and that our clients were liable for breach of contract and multiple tort claims for failing to provide the Video.  The Superior Court granted our clients’ motion to dismiss the breach of contract claim because (1) the plain language of the contract did not provide the Plaintiffs with any rights to the Video; and (2) the Plaintiffs have no right to the Video under copyright law.  Since the Plaintiffs have no rights to the Video, the Court also dismissed their related conversion, tortious interference with contractual relations, and injunctive relief claims, which were based on their allegations that they were entitled to the Video pursuant to the contract at issue.

For further information, contact Craig Kunkes