Practice Areas

Copyrights

San Francisco, California Copyright Attorney

In a technological age that allows for the easy duplication of written and recorded material, many artists, writers, musicians, businesses and other copyright holders find themselves facing copyright infringement both domestically and internationally. The laws, statutes and rulings that govern derivative works, fair use and other copyright infringement issues, are continually being challenged.

In this ever-changing area of law, an experienced attorney can advise clients where legal remedies may be appropriate. As a civil trial lawyer with more than 25 years experience, Gary S. Fergus not only understands the intricacies and issues that currently impact this area of law, Mr. Fergus also has the necessary courtroom experience to recover damages for businesses and individuals who have suffered economic harm due to copyright infringement.

If you have had written or recorded material reproduced or used without proper legal authorization, contact copyright infringement lawyer Gary S. Fergus today to schedule an appointment to discuss your case.

Copyright Infringement Litigation Experience

Gary S. Fergus was appointed by the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York as one of three lead plaintiffs counsel representing thousands of free lance authors around the world. This was the first copyright class action that has been reported in the United States. Mr. Fergus served as co-lead counsel in this landmark case involving free lance writers whose works were unlawfully copied, distributed and sold online by major database companies and print publishers without the author's permission.

Because free lance authors are dispersed throughout the United States, write for many different publications and often are paid modest fees for their articles, it can be difficult for individual free lance authors to enforce their copyrights. After four years of intensive mediation before Kenneth Feinberg, the resolution of In re Literary Works in Electronic Databases Copyright Litigation MDL No. 1379 (S.D. N.Y. September 28, 2005)($18 million dollar settlement) not only provides for significant compensation for individual free lance authors whose works were infringed, but also changed how the industry structures its relationships with free lance authors.

Contact Fergus law office about Copyright Infringement Actions

If you have questions about pursuing infringement actions or have concerns about the use of derivative works or fair use in regards to your copyrights, please contact Gary S. Fergus online or call (415) 537-9030. Mr. Fergus has represented clients both nationally and in Northern California, including the San Francisco Bay area.

If you are involved in a legal matter that involves, or could involve, significant civil trial work, we invite you to contact us online or call (415) 537-9030. Fergus, A Law Office is based in San Francisco, California, representing clients throughout the metropolitan areas of Los Angeles and San Francisco, including the cities of Burbank, Pasadena, Riverside, San Jose, Cupertino, Sunnyvale, Mountain View, Palo Alto, Redwood City, San Mateo, Berkeley, and Sacramento.