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rkurnit@fkks.com
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Rick Kurnit is retired from the firm. During his long career, he was internationally recognized in the advertising and marketing services and publishing industries.
Rick Kurnit was the only lawyer named to Adweek’s Top 50 Executives Who Make the Wheels Turn list. Selected by Best Lawyers as its first New York Media Lawyer of the Year and 2018 Copyright Lawyer of the Year, he was recognized annually in its survey in six fields: Advertising, Copyright, Entertainment, Intellectual Property Litigation, Media, and Trademark and was again listed as a "Lawyer of the Year" for 2018 in Copyright. Rick was ranked by Chambers USA as a star in Advertising law, as a “Leading Lawyer” and “Hall of Famer” in Marketing and Advertising by The Legal 500, a “Super Lawyer” by Super Lawyers magazine in advertising, and a Leading IP Lawyer by Lawyer Monthly Magazine.
For many years, Rick was the chair of the firm’s Advertising, Marketing & Public Relations Group. He was a founding Vice Chair of the ABA Committee on Private Advertising Litigation. He handled many of the leading cases defining the application of intellectual property law to advertising and marketing communications, including representing the defendants in the Vanna White, Woody Allen, and Jackie Onassis look-alike cases; Viking Press, Nelson DeMille, Terry McMillan, and other authors and publishers in libel cases based on works of fiction; Prodigy in the Stratton Oakmont case and other cases defining online liability; John Deere in defining use of trademarks in comparative advertising; the maker of a smaller copy of the necklace from Titanic in defining the scope of parallel marketing; and Gone With The Wind in defining parody and copyright infringement. Rick also handled numerous Lanham Act and comparative advertising cases and NAD challenges. Rick also advised companies and individuals on mergers, acquisitions, succession plans, employment agreements, partnership agreements, and phantom equity plans.
Rick taught advertising and intellectual property law and lectured regularly for the 4A's, ANA, BAA, the Copyright Society, and the American Law Institute. He has guest lectured at Beijing University, Harvard University, Columbia University, the University of Pennsylvania, NYU, Fordham University, New York Law School, and Cardozo Law Schools. He also spoke at conferences in Asia, Europe, and North America.
Rick’s published works include: Editor of Right of Publicity (2018) and Advertising + Marketing (2017); the Advertising Law and Intellectual Property chapters in Corporate Legal Departments (2017) (updated annually); “Defining Native Advertising” in Communications Lawyer (2014); “Exclusivity of Sponsors” in Journal of Sponsorship 379 (2010); “Challenging Competitor’s Advertising” in Counselor (2009); The Legal Side of the Creative Process, a chapter in Advertising and Marketing Law (2005); “Restricting Speech on the Internet,” a panel discussion, 8 Fordham Intel. Prop. Media L. J. 395 (1998); “Liability Online,” 1 Journal of Internet Law 15 (1998); “Pornography on the Internet,” a panel discussion, 14 Cardozo Arts and Ent. L. J. 343 (1996); “Right of Publicity in the Year 2020,” a symposium, 20 Columbia-VLA Journal of Law and Arts 1 (1995); and “Libel Claims Based on Fiction,” 51 Brooklyn L. Rev. 401(1985).
Rick served as law clerk to Federal Judge Thomas P. Griesa, and was associated for five years with Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison. Rick retired from the practice of law in 2021.
awards & recognition
Best Lawyers 2018 "Lawyer of the Year" in Copyright
Best Lawyers in America in: Advertising, Copyright, Entertainment, Litigation - Intellectual Property, Media, and Trademark
Best Lawyers' first New York Media Lawyer of the Year
Chambers USA America's Leading Lawyers for Business (Advertising)
The Legal 500 "Leading Lawyer" in Marketing and Advertising
Adweek's Top 50 Executives Who Make the Wheels Turn
New York-area "Super Lawyer"
Leading Lawyer in Lawyer Monthly Magazine's Leading Lawyer Global 250 Guide
education
Harvard Law School (J.D., cum laude, 1975)
Columbia College (A.B., magna cum laude, Phi Beta Kappa, 1972)
Upcoming Speaking Engagements
Past Speaking Engagements
The Year in Review: IP
Edward H. Rosenthal, Rachel Kronman Santori and Rick Kurnit present “The Year in Review: IP” during Frankfurt Kurnit’s Fourth Annual Advertising Law Summit at the Kimpton Hotel Eventi in New York.
June 10 2019
Guidance on Product Placement Negotiation Strategies
Rick Kurnit presents “Guidance on Product Placement Negotiation Strategies” during a live webinar for Lorman.
May 14 2019
Structuring Product Placement Deals: Mitigating Risks to the Brand, Regulatory Compliance
Rick Kurnit co-presents “Structuring Product Placement Deals: Mitigating Risks to the Brand, Regulatory Compliance” as part of a Strafford webinar. Read more.
January 3 2019
2018 ANA/BAA Marketing Law Conference
Frankfurt Kurnit sponsors the 2018 ANA/BAA Marketing Law Conference in Chicago. Rick Kurnit moderates "The Right of Publicity vs. Other Content Claims," Jeffrey A. Greenbaum and Brian G. Murphy co-moderate "Ten Major Contract Clauses Every Marketing Lawyer Can't Do Without" and Hannah E. Taylor presents "Avatars, Chatbots, and Other Daunting Futuristic Media." More information here.
November 7 2018
ACI’s Digital Advertising Law & Compliance
Rick Kurnit speaks on the panel “Steps to Success: Review Process Best Practices” at the American Conference Institute’s Advertising Law & Compliance. More information can be found here.
June 25 2018
Be the Change: Frankfurt Kurnit’s Third Annual Advertising Law Summit
Changes in advertising law are inevitable. The changes come from regulators and self-regulators. They come from privacy and data security czars. They come from the courts. And they come from technology providers and platforms. Read more.
June 7 2018
ANA Law and Public Policy Conference
Candice Kersh presents “Inspiration vs. Infringement: Avoiding Liability in a Social Media World”, Jeffrey Greenbaum moderates an international panel of lawyers from the Global Advertising Lawyers Alliiance, “Getting to ‘Shi,” “Si,” “Oui,” and “Na’am” for Global Campaigns,” and Rick Kurnit presents "If the lawyers are uncomfortable with it, it must be a good ad" at the Association of National Advertisers Law & Public Policy Conference in Washington, DC.
March 15 2018
Communication Issues Today and Tomorrow
Rick Kurnit speaks on the panel “Communication Issues Today and Tomorrow” at DePaul University. More information can be found here.
November 13 2017
2017 ANA/BAA Marketing Law Conference
Frankfurt Kurnit sponsors the ANA/BAA 39th Marketing Law Conference in Chicago. Rick Kurnit moderates "The Right of Publicity vs. Fake News and Other Content Claims", Jeffrey A. Greenbaum and Brian G. Murphy present "Content Creep: Media Deals with Custom Content, Native Advertising and Other Value-Added Elements" and Hannah E. Taylor and Daniel Goldberg present "Chat Bots/Social Bots - Rewards & Risks". More information can be found here.
November 13 2017
The First Amendment and Social Media
Rick Kurnit is a panelist on “The First Amendment and Social Media’s Social Responsibilities to Create Safe Spaces” presentation at New York Law School.
October 18 2017
PLI: Native Advertising Around the World
Rick Kurnit speaks on a panel for PLI's One-Hour Briefing, “Native Advertising Around the World.”
July 18 2017
Native Advertising Around the World
Rick Kurnit presents "Native Advertising Around the World” for PLI.
July 18 2017
Yale Law School’s Abrams Institute for Free Speech Conference 2017
Rick Kurnit moderates the Right of Publicity panel titled "Creeping Commercial Speech" at the Yale Law School's Abrams Institute for Free Speech conference. The firm sponsors this event.
June 5 2017
ANA Law and Public Policy Conference
Terri Seligman present's "Marketing in Augmented Reality: Pokémon Go and Treasure Hunts in The Digital Age" and Rick Kurnit participates once again on the "Tweeting With Words" panel at the 2017 ANA Advertising Law & Public Policy Conference.
March 28 2017
News Under Trump
Rick Kurnit moderates the Gotham Media breakfast "News Under Trump", featuring panelists from the New York Times, Financial Week, Pro Publica, and Newsweek.
March 2 2017
BAA - ANA Marketing Law Conference
Frankfurt Kurnit sponsors the BAA - ANA Marketing Law Conference in Chicago. Jeffrey A. Greenbaum, Rick Kurnit and Brian Murphy are presenting at the annual event.
November 9 2016
Commercial Speech and the First Amendment
Rick Kurnit speaks on 'Brand Journalism' for the Yale Law School's Abrams Institute for Freedom of Expression's event, Commercial Speech and the First Amendment. We sponsor the event.
June 13 2016
Change is Good (But Only If You Know About It) - What’s Ahead for Advertising Lawyers in 2016
Advertising law is changing all the time. There are changes from regulators, self-regulators and unions. Changes from social platforms and review sites. Changes from privacy and data security czars. Changes from courts and bar committees. To clear your campaigns with confidence, you need to stay ahead of the changes. Read more.
June 8 2016
BAA Lunchtime Webinar
Rick Kurnit presents a webinar on native advertising for a Brand Activation Association audience.
April 12 2016
Ad Blocking: The Allure of an Ad-Free Experience and the Battle to Finance the Web
We are proud to host the Columbia Business School Alumni Club's panel on ad blocking. We have a limited number of complimentary passes available for friends of Frankfurt Kurnit. Read more.
February 25 2016
Brand Activation Association (BAA) 37th Annual Marketing Law Conference
Jeffrey A. Greenbaum, Rick Kurnit and Brian Murphy moderate panels at "Walking the Line: Between Innovation and Regulation". The annual BAA Marketing Law Conference takes place November 9-11 at the Downtown Chicago Marriott.
November 9 2015
Right of Publicity: Analysis, Valuation, and the Law
Rick Kurnit speaks on 'Right of Publicity: Analysis, Valuation, and the Law' for the American Bar Association. Friends of Frankfurt Kurnit are eligible to recieve a 10% discount using the following code at checkout: CE15CPDWEBVIP.
August 13 2015
Society of Digital Agencies (SoDA) Global Member Meeting
Rick Kurnit and Greg Boyd speak at the annual Society of Digital Agencies (SoDA) Global Member meeting in San Diego, which centers on topics, issues and trends identified by its C-level members as critical to their business success. This event is for SoDa members only.
July 30 2015
ALI CLE - Product Distribution and Marketing Legal Issues in a Global Economy
Rick Kurnit speaks on Intellectual Property Protection in Marketing Communications for ALI. Friends of Frankfurt Kurnit are eligible to receive a 50% discount on the registration fee. For more information please contact us here.
June 10 2015
2015 ANA Advertising Law & Public Policy Conference
Once again we sponsor the annual ANA Advertising Law & Public Policy Conference. Read more.
March 31 2015
Hidden Liabilities in Corporate Communications and Public Relations
Rick Kurnit participates in a session on "Hidden Liabilities in Corporate Communications and Public Relations" at the 36th Annual BAA Marketing Law Conference in Chicago.
November 5 2014
Native Advertising – A Look at US Legal, Regulatory, and Business Developments
Rick Kurnit presents "'Native Advertising' - a look at US Legal, Regulatory, and Business Developments" at Lewis Silkin LLP in London.
October 7 2014
SoDA Global Member Meeting
Rick Kurnit and S. Gregory Boyd speak at SoDA's Global Member Meeting in Barcelona, Spain.
July 29 2014
Advertising and Promotion Liability
Rick Kurnit presents on "Advertising and Promotion Liability" at the American Law Institute's "Product Distribution and Marketing" Continuing Legal Education Course in Chicago, Illinois.
July 18 2014
Online Content Management 2.0
Rick Kurnit participates on a New York State Bar Association panel discussing "Online Content Management". Registration for this webinar is open to all. The fee is $50 for members and $150 for nonmembers.
May 29 2014
ANA Advertising Law & Public Policy Conference 2014
Rick Kurnit speaks on a panel entitled "Back to the Future on 600 Pennsylvania Avenue" at the annual ANA Advertising Law and Public Policy Conference.
April 23 2014
Association of American Publishers Committee Meeting CLE Luncheon
Rick Kurnit spoke at the AAP Committee Meeting CLE Luncheon on "Brand Integration into Content (Native Advertising?): Disclosure and Liability Concerns".
January 31 2014
Rick Kurnit at OmmaNative
Rick Kurnit spoke on a panel entitled, 'Send in the Lawyers' at the OmmaNative event.
November 5 2013
Advertising Law Conference in London
Rick Kurnit spoke at the IBC Advertising Law Conference.
April 25 2013
ABA Antitrust Law Spring Meeting
Rick Kurnit chaired a session at the Antitrust Spring Meeting in Washington, DC.
April 10 2013
ANA Advertising Law & Public Policy Conference
Rick Kurnit, Terri Seligman and Brian Murphy speak at the Q & A portion of the ANA Advertising Law & Public Policy Conference in Washington, DC.
March 19 2013
Hot Topics in Advertising Panel
Rick Kurnit spoke on the Hot Topics Panel at the ABA Antitrust Section's Consumer Protection Conference in Washington DC.
February 7 2013
34th Annual PMA Marketing Law Conference
Rick Kurnit, Jeffrey Greenbaum, Terri Seligman and Christopher Chase speak at the the Promotional Marketing Association's Marketing Law Conference: "Ahead of the Curve: Converging Platforms & Diverging Laws" in Chicago. Frankfurt Kurnit sponsors the event.
November 13 2012
Advertising and Entertainment Production: Crossover Lines Continue to Blur
Rick Kurnit spoke at Shoot Magazine’s annual conference on "Advertising and Entertainment Production: Crossover Lines Continue to Blur" at the DGA Theatre.
May 17 2012
Image Rights for Famous People
Rick Kurnit presented on Image Rights for Famous People at the IBC Advertising and Marketing Law Conference 2012 in London.
April 24 2012
Rick Kurnit at the 2012 ANA Advertising Law & Public Policy Conference
Rick Kurnit speaks at the 2012 ANA Advertising Law and Public Policy Conference in Washington, DC.
March 28 2012
A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Courthouse – The Use of Humor in Advertising
Rick Kurnit presented "A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Courthouse" a Continuing Legal Education event here at our offices.
March 15 2012
Once is Not Enough: The Many Forms in Which Health Care Advertising Challenges Arise
Rick Kurnit participated in a teleconference on "Once is Not Enough: The Many Forms in Which Health Care Advertising Challenges Arise" for ABA's Section of Antitrust Law.
February 22 2012
2011 Global Strategic Management Institute’s Legal & Social Media Marketing Summit
Rick Kurnit spoke on Right of Publicity Claims (A Plague on Brand Integration) at the 2011 Global Strategic Management Institute's Legal & Social Media Marketing Summit in Boston.
May 18 2011
Image Rights for Famous People
Rick Kurnit presented on Image Rights for Famous People at the IBC Advertising and Marketing Law Conference 2012 in London.
April 24 2011
ABA Antitrust Law Spring Meeting
Rick Kurnit was part of a mock damages hearing in the Lanham Act false advertising case at the ABA Antitrust Law Spring Meeting in Washington, DC.
March 30 2011
Right of Publicity Claims in Integrated Content
Rick Kurnit spoke on Right of Publicity Claims in Integrated Content at the Advertising Law & Public Policy Conference in Washington, DC.
March 16 2011
Rick Kurnit Speaks at the 32nd Annual Marketing Law Conference
Rick Kurnit spoke on Endorsements and Testimonials at PMA's 32nd Annual Marketing Law Conference in Chicago.
November 19 2010
Three Frankfurt Kurnit Attorneys Participate in the MLRC/NAA 2010 Media Law Conference
Three Frankfurt Kurnit attorneys participate in the MLRC/NAA 2010 Media Law Conference in Virginia. Maura Wogan moderates a panel discussion on issues arising from the Colting v. Salinger litigation. Ronald Minkoff presents "Ethics in the Electronic Era". And Rick Kurnit presents on "Privacy, Publicity, and Use and Protection of Data".
September 29 2010
Rick Kurnit Speaks at the ABA Annual Meeting
Rick Kurnit spoke on The Right of Publicity: From Hollywood to DC/From Pop Stars to Politicians at the ABA Annual Meeting in San Francisco.
August 6 2010
Rick Kurnit Presents at the ALI/ABA Product Distribution and Marketing Conference
Rick Kurnit presented at the ALI/ABA Product Distribution and Marketing Conference in Chicago on Advertising Liability and Intellectual Property in Marketing Communications.
June 3 2010
Rick Kurnit Speaks on Rights of Publicity at the NYSBA
Rick Kurnit spoke on Rights of Publicity at the NYSBA's Advising Clients on the Creation & Content of Their Web Sites teleconference.
April 20 2010
Frankfurt Kurnit Hosts “Fair Use” as Part of its Gotham Media Breakfast Series
Our firm hosted Fair Use -- the latest in our Gotham Media Breakfast Series -- in our boardroom. Rick Kurnit chaired a panel that included Cameron Stracher of NYLS (formerly CBS Litigation Counsel) and Bill Rosenblatt of GiantSteps Media.
March 22 2010
Rick Kurnit Speaks at the ANA Advertising Law & Public Affairs Conference
Rick Kurnit spoke at the ANA Advertising Law & Public Affairs Conference on FTC Endorsement and Testimonial guidelines in Washington, DC. The firm sponsored this event.
March 17 2010
Rick Kurnit Presents a CLE on Clearing the Intellectual Property Rights in Marketing Executions
Rick Kurnit presented a CLE to ACCA Advertising Committee members in our boardroom on how to train your corporate marketing department to respect and clear the intellectual property rights in marketing executions.
March 10 2010
Rick Kurnit Speaks at the DCIA’s inaugural P2P & CLOUD Market Conference
Rick Kurnit spoke at the Distributed Computing Industry Association's (DCIA) inaugural P2P & CLOUD MARKET CONFERENCE which was held in conjunction with Media Summit New York (MSNY) at the Princeton Club of New York.
March 9 2010
news & press
Thirty-four Frankfurt Kurnit Attorneys Named to Super Lawyers New York Metro List for 2021
The list includes: Christopher R. Chase, Victoria Cook, Lisa E. Davis, Caren Decter, Catherine M.C. Farrelly, Michael P. Frankfurt, Hayden Goldblatt, Jeffrey A. Greenbaum, John B. Harris, Richard B. Heller, Richard Hofstetter, Nicole Hyland, Candice Kersh, Rick Kurnit, Brian E. Maas, Richard Maltz, Jeffrey Marks, Kimberly Maynard, Mark Merriman, Ronald C. Minkoff, Brian G. Murphy, Edward H. Rosenthal, Terri Seligman, Thomas D. Selz, Barbara E. Shiers, Wendy Stryker, Linda Wank, S. Jean Ward, and Maura Wogan. Marcie Cleary, Christina Jenkins, Sasha Levites, Tyler Maulsby, and Adam Osterweil are listed as “Rising Stars.” Read more.
The Best Lawyers in America 2022
We are pleased to report that Best Lawyers — the oldest and one of the most respected peer reviewed lawyer recommendation services — continues to recommend Frankfurt Kurnit. Read more.
Frankfurt Kurnit in The Legal 500 2021
The Legal 500 praises three of our practice groups: Advertising & Marketing; Entertainment; and Privacy & Data Security. The London-based directory spotlighted fifteen of our attorneys individually: Lisa E. Davis, Daniel Goldberg, Richard Heller, Andrew Hurwitz, Candice Kersh, and Michael Williams. Julie Murray is listed as a “Next Generation Partner” in Entertainment. Christopher R. Chase, Jeffrey A. Greenbaum, Brian G. Murphy and Terri Seligman are listed as “Leading Lawyers” in Advertising. Dorian Slater Thomas and Matthew Vittone are listed as a “Rising Stars” in Advertising. Rick Kurnit is in the “Hall of Fame” for Advertising.
Frankfurt Kurnit in Chambers 2021
For the seventeenth consecutive year Chambers and Partners included Frankfurt Kurnit practice groups & attorneys. The 2021 guide praised our Advertising, Entertainment, Intellectual Property, and Privacy & Data Security practices. In addition, 13 of our attorneys are ranked individually. Read more.
Thirty-four Frankfurt Kurnit Attorneys Named to Super Lawyers New York Metro List for 2020
The list includes: Christopher R. Chase, Victoria Cook, Lisa E. Davis, Catherine M.C. Farrelly, Michael P. Frankfurt, Hayden Goldblatt, Jeffrey A. Greenbaum, John B. Harris, Richard B. Heller, Richard Hofstetter, Nicole Hyland, Candice Kersh, Rick Kurnit, Brian E. Maas, Richard Maltz, Jeffrey Marks, Kimberly Maynard, Mark Merriman, Ronald C. Minkoff, Brian G. Murphy, Edward H. Rosenthal, Terri Seligman, Thomas D. Selz, Barbara E. Shiers, Wendy Stryker, Linda Wank, S. Jean Ward, and Maura Wogan. Marcie Cleary, Christina Jenkins, Sasha Levites, Tyler Maulsby, Adam Osterweil and Rachel Santori are listed as “Rising Stars.” Read more.
The Best Lawyers in America 2021
We are pleased to report that Best Lawyers — the oldest and one of the most respected peer reviewed lawyer recommendation services — continues to recommend Frankfurt Kurnit. Read more.
Frankfurt Kurnit in Chambers 2020
For the sixteenth consecutive year Chambers and Partners included Frankfurt Kurnit practice groups & attorneys. The 2020 guide praised our Advertising, Entertainment and Intellectual Property practices. In addition, 13 of our attorneys are ranked individually. Read more.
Lexology Getting the Deal Through: Advertising & Marketing 2020
Lexology Getting the Deal Through published the 2020 edition of Advertising & Marketing. Terri Seligman and Rick Kurnit authored the USA Chapter and Rick served as contributing editor. View Article
Elon Musk Asks Judge to Throw Out Suit Over ‘Pedo’ Insult
Stock Daily Dish mentions Rick Kurnit’s quote from the New York Post about the lawsuit against Elon Musk stemming from his Twitter post about a British rescue diver.
Leaders League Intelligence Report 2019
Leaders League lists Frankfurt Kurnit in the top tier of their intelligence report as a leading firm in Advertising & Marketing. Jeffrey A. Greenbaum, Rick Kurnit and Terri Seligman are listed as key figures. View Article
Thirty Frankfurt Kurnit Attorneys Named to Super Lawyers Metro List for 2019
Super Lawyers magazine lists thirty Frankfurt Kurnit attorneys in its 2019 NY-area edition. Read more.
Frankfurt Kurnit in The Legal 500 2019
The Legal 500 praises four of our core practice groups: Marketing and Advertising; Media and Entertainment; Intellectual Property (Copyright); and Cyber Law (Data Privacy and Data Protection). The London-based directory spotlighted 18 of our attorneys individually: Gregory Boyd, Christopher Chase, Victoria Cook, Daniel M. Goldberg, Hayden Goldblatt, Jeremy Goldman, Richard Heller, Andrew Hurwitz, Sean Kane, Candice Kersh, Gavin McElroy, Brian G. Murphy, Edward H. Rosenthal and Maura Wogan. Jeffrey A. Greenbaum, Rick Kurnit and Terri Seligman are listed as “Leading Lawyers” in Advertising and Marketing. Hannah Taylor is listed as “Next Generation Lawyer” in Marketing and Advertising.
Ariana Grande, Louis C.K. Concert Rules Push Copyright Limits
Bloomberg Law and Ticket News quote Rick Kurnit on celebrity efforts to control use of their image and performances in news stories. View Article
Lexology Getting the Deal Through: Advertising & Marketing 2019
Lexology Getting the Deal Through published the 2019 edition of Advertising & Marketing. Rick Kurnit and Hannah Taylor authored the USA Chapter and Rick served as contributing editor. View Article
Who Should Own Photos of Slaves? The Descendants, not Harvard, a Lawsuit Says
The New York Times quotes Rick Kurnit on the difficulty of claiming ownership of daguerreotypes. View Article
TechGC’s Good Counsel Newsletter
TechGC’s Good Counsel newsletter featured blog posts from Jeffrey Greenbaum, Rick Kurnit and Terri Seligman. View the blog here.
Must Writers Be Moral? Their Contracts May Require It
The New York Times quotes Rick Kurnit about morality clauses in contracts within the publishing industry. View Article
Can’t Take a Joke? ‘Perv’ Insults Just Tweet Talk: Musk Lawyers
The New York Post quotes Rick Kurnit on the lawsuit against Elon Musk stemming from his Twitter post about a British rescue diver. View Article
Entertainment Promotion Gets The Same First Amendment Protection As The Content Promoted
The Association of Media & Entertainment Counsel published Rick Kurnit's article "Entertainment Promotion Gets The Same First Amendment Protection As The Content Promoted" in their Fall 2018 magazine. View Article
Thirty-two Frankfurt Kurnit Attorneys Named in Super Lawyers Magazine for 2018
Super Lawyers magazine lists thirty-two Frankfurt Kurnit attorneys in its 2018 edition. Read more.
The Best Lawyers in America 2019
We are pleased to report that Best Lawyers — the oldest and one of the most respected peer reviewed lawyer recommendation services — continues to recommend Frankfurt Kurnit. Read more.
Getting the Deal Through: Advertising & Marketing 2018
Getting the Deal Through published the 2018 edition of Advertising & Marketing. Rick Kurnit and Hannah Taylor authored the USA Chapter and Rick served as contributing editor. View Article
Frankfurt Kurnit in Chambers 2018
For the fourteenth consecutive year Chambers USA America's Leading Lawyers for Business recognized Frankfurt Kurnit. Chambers USA ranked us for our: Advertising, Media & Entertainment and Intellectual Property practices. Read more.
Getting the Deal Through: Right of Publicity 2018
Getting the Deal Through published the 2018 edition of Right of Publicity. Rick Kurnit served as Contributing Editor and authored different chapters (USA and Global).
The Best Lawyers in America 2018
Best Lawyers "Best Law Firms" ranked Frankfurt Kurnit nationally in "Tier 1" in Advertising, Copyright, Entertainment - Motion Pictures and Television, and Trademark Law, "Tier 2" in Litigation - Intellectual Property, Media Law, and Trusts & Estates Law, and "Tier 3" in Commercial Litigation and Regulatory Read more.
Advertising & Marketing 2017
Rick Kurnit and Hannah Taylor edited the 2017 version of "Getting the Deal Through — Advertising & Marketing 2017", a publication providing expert advice on the latest developments in the legislation, regulation and technological trends affecting advertising and marketing in key economies worldwide. View Article
Frankfurt Kurnit in The Legal 500 2017
The Legal 500, a London-based directory of leading lawyers, listed Frankfurt Kurnit for Media, Technology & Telecom work (Marketing and Advertising) in Tier 1 in its 2017 edition Read more.
Frankfurt Kurnit in Chambers 2017
For the thirteenth consecutive year Chambers USA America's Leading Lawyers for Business recognized Frankfurt Kurnit. Chambers USA ranked us for our: Advertising: Transactional & Regulatory, Intellectual Property: Trade Mark & Copyright, Media & Entertainment: Entertainment Litigation, and Media & Entertainment: Film, Music, Television & Theater work. Read more.
Ten Questions to a Media Lawyer
The Media Law Resource Center's Media Law Letter published an interview with Rick Kurnit about his career and the landmark media law cases handled by Rick and our law firm through the years. View Article
Fox Apologizes for Use of Fake News Sites in ‘A Cure for Wellness’ Ad Campaign
The Los Angeles Times quoted Rick Kurnit on right of publicity issues arising from a 20th Century Fox movie advertising campaign. View Article
Getting the Deal Through: USA and Global Chapter
Getting the Deal Through published a new edition which includes chapters authored by Rick Kurnit (USA and Global).
Bad Bone
Rick Kurnit is quoted in the Vice article, "Bad Bone," about Ken Bone's recent promotional tweets. View Article
Thirty-four Frankfurt Kurnit Attorneys Named “Super Lawyers” for 2016
Super Lawyers listed thirty-four Frankfurt Kurnit attorneys in its 2016 edition. Read more.
The Best Lawyers in America 2017
In its 2017 edition, Best Lawyers "Best Law Firms" ranked Frankfurt Kurnit nationally in "Tier 1" in Advertising, Copyright, Entertainment - Motion Pictures and Television, and Trademark Law, "Tier 2" in Litigation - Intellectual Property, Media Law, and Trusts & Estates Law, and "Tier 3" in Commercial Litigation and Regulatory Enforcement Litigation. Read more.
Frankfurt Kurnit in The Legal 500 2016
The Legal 500, a London-based directory of leading lawyers, listed Frankfurt Kurnit for Media, Technology & Telecom work (Marketing and Advertising) in Tier 1 and Intellectual Property work (Copyright) in its 2016 edition. Read more.
Frankfurt Kurnit in Chambers 2016
For the twelfth consecutive year Chambers USA America's Leading Lawyers for Business recognized Frankfurt Kurnit. Chambers USA ranked us for our: Advertising: Transactional & Regulatory, Intellectual Property: Trademark & Copyright, Media & Entertainment: Entertainment Litigation, and Media & Entertainment: Film, Music, Television & Theater work. Read more.
FAN 109 (First Amendment News) Abrams Institute to Host Event on Commercial Speech
Concurring Opinions mentions Rick Kurnit and his participation in the Floyd Abrams Institute for Freedom of Expression's event on Commercial Speech on June 13.
Rick Kurnit in Broadcasting & Cable
Broadcasting & Cable quoted Rick Kurnit on the implications of the Supreme Court’s decision to let stand a lower court ruling in POM Wonderful vs. FTC. View Article
Cardozo Law Advertising Conference Panel 2: Native Advertising
Jeffrey A. Greenbaum and Rick Kurnit are quoted in Rebecca Tushnet's coverage of Cardozo's Law Advertising Conference Panel on Native Advertising. View Article
Be Careful When Creating Composite Characters
A New York federal court has provided the creative community with an important reminder about the risks of portraying composite characters. Read more.
Thirty-three Frankfurt Kurnit Attorneys Named “Super Lawyers” for 2015
Super Lawyers listed thirty-three Frankfurt Kurnit attorneys in its 2015 edition. Read more.
The Best Lawyers in America 2016
Best Lawyers recognized our firm and 17 of our attorneys in their 2016 list. Read more.
Getting the Deal Through - Advertising and Marketing 2015
Rick Kurnit and Hannah Taylor recently contributed key chapters to Getting the Deal Through - Advertising and Marketing 2015, an international analysis of laws and policies governing advertising and marketing. Read more.
Frankfurt Kurnit in The Legal 500 2015
The Legal 500, a London-based directory of leading lawyers, recommended Frankfurt Kurnit for Media, Technology & Telecom work (Marketing and Advertising) and Intellectual Property work (Copyright) in its 2015 edition. Read more.
Frankfurt Kurnit in Chambers 2015
For the eleventh consecutive year Chambers USA America's Leading Lawyers for Business recognized Frankfurt Kurnit. Read more.
Ad Lawyers’ Predictions: Data Will Be King, Disclaimers Will Disappear
MediaPost quoted Rick Kurnit in "Ad Lawyers' Predictions: Data Will Be King, Disclaimers Will Disappear," an article on the future of disclosures in advertising. View Article
Thirty-one Frankfurt Kurnit Attorneys Named “Super Lawyers” for 2014
Super Lawyers listed thirty-one Frankfurt Kurnit attorneys in its 2014 edition. Read more.
Give Talent Some Space: Media360Summit
Campaign Asia-Pacific covered Rick Kurnit's presentation, "Talent: Culture, Compensation, and Communication", on the intricacies of hiring and firing talent in the media business. The presentation was a part of the 2015 Media360Summit in Hong Kong. (Article behind a paywall) View Article
On Further Review: Former NFL Players’ Right of Publicity Suit Advances
There was a big development in the closely followed Davis v. Electronic Arts, Inc. case - a case focusing on the alleged unauthorized use of player images and likenesses in the popular Madden NFL video game series. Read more.
Defining Native Advertising
The ABA Communications Lawyer journal published Rick Kurnit's article, "Defining Native Advertising" in the fall 2014 edition. View Article
Best Lawyers 2015
Best Lawyers recognized our firm and 16 of our attorneys in their 2015 list. Read more.
2014 Frankfurt Kurnit in The Legal 500
The Legal 500, a London-based directory of leading lawyers, recommended Frankfurt Kurnit for Media, Technology & Telecom work (Marketing and Advertising) and Intellectual Property work (Copyright) in its 2014 edition. Read more.
Frankfurt Kurnit in Chambers 2014
For the tenth consecutive year Chambers USA America's Leading Lawyers for Business recognized Frankfurt Kurnit. Read more.
Getting the Deal Through - Advertising and Marketing 2014
Rick Kurnit and Hannah Taylor recently contributed key chapters to Getting the Deal Through - Advertising and Marketing 2014, an international analysis of laws and policies governing advertising and marketing. Read more.
What’s an Appropriate Notice Period for Outgoing Agency Execs?
Adweek quoted Rick Kurnit on the question of what is an appropriate length of time outgoing agency executives should be asked to wait before beginning a new position. View Article
Hold off on that Congratulatory Ad
The Olympics and the Academy Awards always inspire advertisers to run ads congratulating winners. But not so fast. Michael Jordan's lawsuit over a congratulatory advertisement placed by Jewel-Osco Supermarkets in a Sports Illustrated special edition celebrating his induction into the Basketball Hall of Fame was just reinstated on appeal. Read more.
Right of Publicity Claims Based on Brand Integration into Editorial Content
Rick Kurnit published an article in Lawyer Monthly's Global Expert Guide to IP 2014 about brand integration and editorial content. View Article
Frankfurt Kurnit in “Best Lawyers 2014”
In its 2014 edition Best Lawyers ranked Frankfurt Kurnit in "Tier 1" in Advertising, Copyright, Entertainment, Trademark, and Trust & Estates Law, "Tier 2" in Litigation (IP) and Media Law, and "Tier 3" in Commercial Litigation and Regulatory Enforcement Litigation. Read more.
Will Publishers Lose Free-Speech Protection with Native Advertising?
Rick Kurnit was quoted by MediaPost after his panel discussion at the OmmaNative conference. View Article
Adweek Names Rick Kurnit a Top 50 Executive
Rick Kurnit has been named to Adweek's Top 50 Executives Who Make the Wheels Turn list. He was the only lawyer on a list comprising buyers, sellers, content makers and marketers who are taking a break from tradition and generating revenue as they do so. View Article
Twenty-seven Frankfurt Kurnit Attorneys Named “Super Lawyers” for 2013
Super Lawyers listed twenty-seven Frankfurt Kurnit attorneys in its 2013 edition. In addition Super Lawyers recognized Terri Seligman in its "Top 50 New York Women Lawyers List". Read more.
DOROT Benefit Celebrates 37 Years of Linking the Generations
SFGate featured Rick Kurnit and his contributions to DOROT, an innovator in mobilizing volunteers to improve the lives of the elderly.
Young & Rubicam Refuses to Let Carter Murray Out of His Contract
AdWeek quoted Rick Kurnit in an article on best practices concerning notice periods. View Article
Frankfurt Kurnit Top Ranked in Best Lawyers and Best Law Firms for 2013
Best Lawyers ranked Frankfurt Kurnit one of the "Best Law Firms" of 2013. Read more.
Google Nexus 7 Ads Spark Trademark Lawsuit
Online Media Daily quoted Rick Kurnit on the "trademark infringement and unfair competition" lawsuit filed by Market Street Press against Google for using the phrase “the playground is open” in ads for the new Nexus 7 tablet. View Article
Rick Kurnit Quoted in Adweek on Executives with Dual Roles
Rick Kurnit was quoted in Adweek's article "In Unorthodox Arrangement, Marketer Has Dual Roles: Can Red Peak Chairman Really Also be Client Acer's CMO." View Article
Court Clears Use of YouTube-famous “Flying Rabbi” in Humor Sketch
The use of someone without permission in entertainment can trigger a lawsuit for "commercial appropriation of likeness." And so it was recently when "Jimmy Kimmel Live" created a video mocking a 2010 "business meeting" between basketball star LeBron James and a rabbi. Read more.
Twenty-four Frankfurt Kurnit Attorneys Named 2012 NY-Area “Super Lawyers”
Super Lawyers listed twenty-four Frankfurt Kurnit attorneys in its 2012 edition. Read more.
Eleven Frankfurt Kurnit Lawyers Appear in New York Magazine’s List of the “Best”
New York Magazine named eleven Frankfurt Kurnit Klein & Selz attorney's to its 2012 "New York Area's Best Lawyers" list. Read more.
Seventeen Frankfurt Kurnit Attorneys Named 2011 New York-Area “Super Lawyers”
Super Lawyers named seventeen Frankfurt Kurnit attorneys in its 2011 edition. Read more.
Rick Kurnit on CBS Early Show
Rick Kurnit was featured on the CBS Early Show discussing the Oscar Mayer vs. Ball Park franks false advertising claim legal battle.
Right of Publicity Statute Does Not Apply to Those Who Died Before Its Enactment
An Indiana federal court has ruled that the Indiana right of publicity statute, which has the longest post-mortem period of continuing the right of publicity, does not apply to personalities who died before 1994, the year the statute was enacted. Read more.
Rick Kurnit Quoted in the New York Times on ChicoBag Matter
Rick Kurnit was quoted in an article in The New York Times on a lawsuit against ChicoBag, a reusable bag manufacturer, that allegedly made false eco-friendly claims about their products. View Article
Frankfurt Kurnit in Chambers USA: America’s Leading Lawyers For Business 2011
For the seventh consecutive year Chambers USA America's Leading Lawyers for Business recognized Frankfurt Kurnit. Read more.
Rick Kurnit Featured in View From Madison Avenue
Rick Kurnit was featured in a post on View From Madison Avenue, a blog on advertising executives, on the downside of creative people posting their work portfolios online. View Article
Rick Kurnit in New York Times Story About POM Wonderful Film
Rick Kurnit had a cameo in the Morgan Spurlock film -- "POM Wonderful Presents: The Greatest Movie Ever Sold." The film opened in NYC at the Angelika and the AMC Loews Lincoln Square. View Article
Rick Kurnit Featured in Bisnow
Rick Kurnit was profiled in Bisnow on his experiences in the advertising industry and branded entertainment industry, respectively.
Rick Kurnit Quoted in Corporate Counsel
Rick Kurnit spoke on the latest developments in publicity rights at the Entertaiment Business Law Seminar held on Friday, October 22 at the New York University's Helen and Martin Kimmel Center. Corporate Counsel picked up the news.
Frankfurt Kurnit in Best Lawyers 2010
Best Lawyers ranked Frankfurt Kurnit in its 2010 edition. Read more.
Rick Kurnit Featured in Altsounds.com
Rick Kurnit was one of the panelists at the Entertainment Business Law Seminar at CMJ Music Marathon & Film Festival 2010 in New York City.
Rick Kurnit Quoted in Hartford Courant
Rick Kurnit was quoted in a Hartford Courant article on Attorney General Richard Blumenthal's argument that Craigslist should permanently shut down their adult services section.
Rick Kurnit Featured in 4A’s IP Law Resource
Rick Kurnit was featured in a clip on the American Association of Advertising Agencies Business Resources section discussing intellectual property law.
Rick Kurnit Quoted in MediaWeek
Rick Kurnit was quoted in MediaWeek on the constantly changing landscape of the advertising industry.
Rick Kurnit Quoted in 43(B)log
Rick Kurnit was quoted in Rebecca Tushnet's 43(B)log as the session chair for the ABA Antitrust Session Spring Meeting part 5 that was held on April 23, 2010 in Washington, DC. View Article
Fighting for What is Left of Exclusivity
The Journal of Sponsorship published Rick Kurnit and Christopher Chase's article "Strategies to Protect the Exclusivity of Sponsors in the Sports Industry". View Article
Rick Kurnit in PR-USA
Rick Kurnit was mentioned in The Distributed Computing Industry Association's press release, picked up by PR-USA, as one of the keynote speakers in the P2P & Cloud Market Conference.
Rick Kurnit Quoted in Adweek on Patent Law
Rick Kurnit was quoted in Adweek on patent issues arising from utilizing web applications for advertising and marketing campaigns. View Article
Advertising Compliance Service Welcomes Rick Kurnit as a New Member of Editorial Advisory Board
The ACS provides essential information to attorneys on marketing and advertising legal matters. The ACS Editorial Advisory Board comprises some of the top attorneys in advertising law.
Rick Kurnit Quoted in MediaPost on Athletes’ Right of Publicity Dispute
MediaPost quoted Rick Kurnit on former Nebraska quarterback Sam Keller's right of publicity lawsuit against Electronic Arts. The suit alleges that EA unfairly profits from the use of college football player images in EA games. The suit also alleges the NCAA wrongly approved EA's use of the college students' identities. View Article
Adweek Quotes Rick Kurnit on Payment Issues
Adweek quoted Rick Kurnit on "sequential liability" and the problems that may arise when a difficult economy forces commercial production companies and agencies to wait for payment from marketers. View Article
Rick Kurnit Mentioned in Streamingmedia
Rick Kurnit was mentioned in a streamingmedia.com article as one of the keynote speakers at the Distributed Computing Industry Association’s upcoming P2P Market Conference on March 17th.
Rick Kurnit Quoted in Brandweek and Cityfile
Rick Kurnit was quoted in Brandweek and Cityfile New York, on Virgin America’s decision to sue a Web site for its Flight 1549-inspired parody. View Article
Google Settles Book Suites to Expand Online Publishing
Rick Kurnit was quoted in a Bloomberg.com article on Google’s $125 million book suite settlements.
Doug Jaeger Named Art Directors Club President
Rick Kurnit was mentioned in a Media Bistro article on the announcement of the ADC’s new president Doug Jaeger. Rick is a member of the board of directors.
NFL Sues CBS Interactive Over Fantasy Football
Rick Kurnit was quoted in a MediaPost article on athletes’ publicity rights in the context of fantasy sports. View Article
War of the Ages
Rick Kurnit was quoted in the AdWeek article, "War of the Ages - How a host of new agency realities are pushing boomers out before their time" on August 25, 2008.
God vs. Gridiron
Rick Kurnit was quoted in the February 2, 2008 Wall Street Journal article, "God vs. Gridiron." View Article
Scientologists Threaten Gawker Media with Legal Action Over Cruise Video
Rick Kurnit was quoted in the January 22, 2008 MediaPost article, "Scientologists Threaten Gawker Media With Legal Action Over Cruise Video." View Article
Rick Kurnit on C-Span
C-Span re-aired the The City Bar Association Forum on First Amendment, in which Rick Kurnit took part, on November 28, 2007.
King Richard’s 20-Year Reign
Rick Kurnit received praised from Richard Kirshenbaum, founder of advertising agency Kirshenbaum Bond + Partners, in the November 12, 2007 Adweek article, "King Richard's 20-Year Reign."