Tormey's Legal Advice

This week I had the pleasure of speaking to entertainment attorney, John J. Tormey, III in New York. Tormey specializes in intellectual property, copyright and trademark, liabilities within the music, film, and television industries. He not only makes sure these liabilities are avoided for his clients, but also offers them legal advice if they are searching for professional services in their line of work.

Tormey was very knowledgeable about the industries and his craft. He was able to go into detail with me on all the things you would have to consider clearing to make a film. For example, not only would you have to clear the proper licenses for the songs used in the films, but, more on the film end of things, you would also have to consider the story’s characters. If you have a character that is too similar to someone’s likeness, you could end up liable and owing the inflicted person a lot of money. He suggested paying the person off instead of taking it to court, if possible. He claims in most cases, this would be less expensive and less time consuming.

Another thing he suggests you take into consideration it your workers. If you are in the position of a music editor or supervisor, or really any role that allows you to be in charge of a group of people, it is advisable to take deep consideration over their contracts. He believes you really want to keep your workers happy. If, for any reason, they become displeased and decide to leave, you have an enemy out in the world ready to ruin your image. This is why it is ultimately important to look over the contract and make sure everyone is pleased in the relationship.

Overall, Tormey was very informative, but could not spend a lot of time talking. I have, however, checked out his website that offers several articles he has posted that provide a great deal of information for different areas of interest in the entertainment industries. If you are interested in the legal side of things, I suggest you check out this website and read up on his experiences and examples at tormey.org.