Category: Miscellaneous
The Supreme Court Decision on Fair Use: What It Means for Our Clients
September 19, 2023 | Carole Clark Isakson
The landscape of copyright law is in transition after a recent Supreme Court decision that could redefine how we approach fair use. The Andy Warhol Foundation v. Goldsmith case has significant implications for our clients, particularly those who regularly use or create copyrighted materials. Here’s our breakdown of this landmark Supreme Court decision on fair use and what it might mean for you. Protecting Original Work At the heart of copyright law is the protection of original work. When you create something unique, you automatically receive the exclusive right to use and distribute that creation. The purpose of this right is to stimulate innovation and creativity, assuring creators that they will benefit from their work. The Fair Use Doctrine and Permitting Unlicensed Use Often considered a life-saving exception for content creators, educators, journalists, and others, the fair use doctrine is a crucial component of copyright law. It’s essentially a legal doctrine that promotes freedom of expression by permitting the unlicensed use of copyright-protected works in certain circumstances. Specific Circumstances Under the Fair Use Doctrine The fair use doctrine does not offer a free pass to use copyright-protected works indiscriminately, but instead provides a framework where certain types of usage are considered legally permissible. It’s worth noting that there are no rigid rules about…
Read MoreNaked on the Bus
September 5, 2018 | Carole Clark IsaksonThe less catchy title of this blog is “DON’T USE OPEN PUBLIC WIFI!!!” Doing so may expose you, quite literally, to the world. I am the mother of a teenager– a really smart teenager who is proficient at Snapchat®, Instagram®, WhatsApp® and a host of other applications (Facebook® of course has been left for we older folks). I vainly tried to explain the dangers of open wi-fi to this smart person a few days ago, to be met with an eye roll and a “c’mon mom, it’s no big deal. Free wi-fi is everywhere if it weren’t safe I would know”. [maxbutton id=”1″ ] Well, dear reader and dear daughter, it is indeed true that open wi-fi (i.e. wifi that you don’t need a password to access) is EVERYWHERE, and this is likely why the many warnings of danger have been so ignored. We love our free wi-fi, and the free public wi-fi has been a magnet for business for every café and coffee shop around. But the dangers ARE real. And if your phone is set (as many are) to automatically connect to available wi-fi, you are literally walking naked down the aisle of a big bus, in full view of every person you pass. Now that I have your attention, let’s…
Read MoreBGS Attorney Dave Schaps Presents Award at Roseville Area Optimist Club
November 13, 2017 | Barna, Guzy & Steffen, Ltd.BGS Attorney Dave Schaps presented the Roseville Area Optimist Club’s inaugural “Optimist of the Year” award to Club President Don Salverda at the November 3rd Club meeting. Salverda is a former Ramsey County Commissioner from the Roseville Area and President of Don Salverda and Associates, a personal and professional leadership consulting firm. Both Dave and Don are founding members of the Roseville Area Optimist Club, and worked to charter the organization in January. The purpose of the club is to be a friend of local area kids by promoting activities that bring out the best in ourselves, the community and in our youth. The 10 member Optimist Club board, of which Dave serves as the Club Secretary, unanimously agreed that Salverda should receive the first award due to his great work in building the Club to almost 70 members in eleven short months. This accomplishment was truly a feat warranting recognition. The Club meets for a networking lunch and to hear a speaker on the second Friday of every month at the Roseville Radisson. There are over 1500 Optimist Clubs world wide and 23 in Minnesota. The Roseville Club is made up of a number of people including leaders in business, local government and local non-profit groups. For questions about this article or…
Read More