Admitted to Practice | Washington | | U.S. Court of Appeals 9th Circuit | | U.S. Court of Appeals 2nd Circuit | | U.S. District Court Western District of Washington | | U.S. District Court Eastern District of Washington |
| Eric Stahl primarily represents news and entertainment companies, advertisers and other communications companies in intellectual property, commercial and First Amendment matters. He represented the plaintiff in a case resulting in the largest reported award of copyright statutory damages, and has litigated numerous other infringement and contractual ownership claims involving music, motion pictures, photographs and other works. Eric advises clients on licensing matters, pre-publication review, public records access and other content-related issues. He also represents studios and production companies in connection with the development and distribution of documentaries and other motion pictures and rights clearance issues.
Practice Highlights
- Regularly provides national and regional news clients with pre-publication review and counseling on copyright, defamation, privacy and other content-related issues
- Represents major studios and others in connection with the development and exploitation of motion pictures, including drafting of acquisition and distribution agreements and advising on chain of title, rights clearance and other ownership issues
- Litigates offensive and defensive copyright and contractual disputes involving music, motion pictures, imagery and other intellectual property
- Defends advertisers, telecommunications companies and others in class-action and complex litigation
- Advises regional newspaper on business issues related to advertising, circulation and antitrust
Selected Experience National and Washington state media 2010 Submitted amicus brief on behalf of national and Washington state media in support of constitutionality of the Washington Public Records Act, which required public disclosure of names of referendum sponsors and signatures. Meredith Corporation 2009 Successfully represented Meredith Corp., owner of KPTV in Portland, Ore., in motion to dismiss and subsequent motion for reconsideration in a lawsuit brought by plaintiff alleging a new theory of invasion of privacy through the publicity of her identity as the subject of allegedly false and unsubstantiated allegations. Susan Long 2008 Successfully moved to require the IRS to continue producing records under the Freedom of Information Act and recovered award of attorneys' fees on two occasions. Communications company 2008 Successful defense of a soundware company against copyright infringement claim based on drum loop used in advertisement. Case raised issues of originality, independent creation and substantial similarity. Defendants prevailed on summary judgment. The Seattle Times Company 2007 Defended the Seattle Times Company in litigation filed by the Hearst Corporation regarding the Joint Operating Agreement under which the Seattle Times Company published both the Seattle Times and the Seattle Post-Intelligencer. The firm argued and won a unanimous Washington Supreme Court decision on the threshold issue of contract interpretation. (2005-2007) The Seattle Times Company 2007 Successfully moved to open dozens of sealed court files on behalf of The Seattle Times in connection with its Pulitzer Prize-finalist investigative series, "Your Courts, Their Secrets." Seattle Gourmet Foods 2004 Represented former manufacturer of Frango chocolates in trademark, trade dress, trade secret and false advertising dispute involving rights to make a competing chocolate under the Frederick & Nelson trademark. Case ended in confidential settlement. 2002 Obtained for Columbia Pictures Television a $31.6 million jury verdict in copyright statutory damages for willful vicarious and contributory copyright infringement by the sole shareholder of three television stations which continued to broadcast Columbia’s programs after Columbia terminated the program licenses for nonpayment. Representation included two trials, three appeals to the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals and appearing before the U.S. Supreme Court (arguing against now Chief Justice John G. Roberts, Jr.). Feltner v. Columbia Pictures Television, Inc., 523 U.S. 340 (1998); Columbia Pictures Television v. Krypton Broadcasting of Birmingham, Inc., 106 F.3d 284 (9th Cir. 1997); 152 F.3d 1171 (9th Cir. 1998); 259 F.3d 1186 (9th Cir. 2001), cert. denied 534 U.S. 1127 (2002). Additional Qualifications
- Law Clerk, Attorney General of Washington, Consumer Protection Division, 1995-1996
- Newspaper Reporter, 1989-1994
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Professional and Community Activities
- Copyright Society of the USA: National Trustee; Founding Member; Past Chair – Northwest Chapter
- Washington Coalition for Open Government
- Advertising and Commercial Speech Committee, Media Law Resource Center
- Forum on Communications; Intellectual Property and Litigation Sections – American Bar Association
- Guest Lecturer, "Digital Millennium Copyright Act," University of Washington School of Law, 2006
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Professional Recognition
- Named as one of the "Best Lawyers in America" in Communications Law by Woodward/White, 2009-present
- Selected to "Washington Rising Stars," Law & Politics, 2005-2006
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Education J.D., University of Washington School of Law, 1997, with high honors
- Order of the Coif
- Order of the Barristers
- Executive Articles Editor, Washington Law Review
B.A., International Relations, Minor in Economics, University of Pennsylvania, 1988, magna cum laude | |