IVAN HOFFMAN, B.A., J.D.

Attorney at Law

Photo by: www.brubakerphotography.com

 
  • COPYRIGHTS, AUTHOR-AGENCY AGREEMENTS, PUBLISHING CONTRACTS, ETC.
  • RECORDING, MUSIC PUBLISHING AND LICENSING AGREEMENTS
  • COPYRIGHT ISSUES INCLUDING ISSUES RELATED TO RENEWALS
  • "SPAM" COMPLIANCE REVIEWS 
  • INTERNATIONAL PUBLISHING RIGHTS AGREEMENTS
  •  WEB SITE DESIGN AGREEMENTS
  •  TRADEMARKS
  • DOMAIN NAME DISPUTES
  • DOMAIN NAME SALES AND LEASE AGREEMENTS
  • APPEALS, APPELLATE BRIEFS
  • WEB SITE AUDITS
  • PRIVACY POLICIES AND TERMS OF USE INCLUDING COPPA COMPLIANCE
  • BUSINESS NEGOTIATIONS AND DEAL MAKING
  • DIGITAL RIGHTS MANAGEMENT CONSULTING
  • STRATEGIC PLANNING
  • PURCHASE AND SALE AGREEMENTS FOR PUBLISHING AND OTHER BUSINESSES
  • CORPORATIONS AND LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANIES
  • ELECTRONIC RIGHTS AND INTERNET-RELATED ISSUES
  • CORPORATE TRAINING AND ONLINE EDUCATION LEGAL ISSUES
  • IF YOU ARE STUCK IN A LITIGATION OR ARE CONTEMPLATING A LITIGATION (AND THE HUGELY EXPENSIVE COSTS THAT ATTEND THE SAME), THERE MAY BE LEGAL OPTIONS YOU ARE NOT CONSIDERING. 

What You Can Expect From Me If I Become Your Attorney

I am pleased to be in my 35th year of practicing law.  I bring an extensive body of skills and knowledge, honed over these years, to my work on your behalf.  Additionally, I work promptly and efficiently.   Especially today, more than ever, time is money.  I know that my client's work is important to them and, as a result, it is important to me.   And of course, all of my work comes with my reputation for high integrity that I have developed over my practice.  I provide proactive, forward-looking legal advice to my clients.  I am honored to have represented Ray Charles previously for nearly 20 years and recently again became his company's attorney as well as its co-president and general counsel.

Keep in mind that in the business of intellectual property rights, which is the business you are in no matter what your product or service, quality legal services are the absolute foundation of your business.  Without thorough legal protection in this complex legal environment, the amounts you spend on the other areas of your business may be put at substantial risk.

I practice preventative law and try to advise my clients in this regard so that they may possibly be able to avoid the usually very significant costs and fees of remedial law.  Preventative law is about doing proactive, effective and thorough legal work in a manner that seeks to avoid problems that can arise later on.  Preventative law is when rights are well-documented, agreements are well-drafted and when a longer term view is used.  Remedial law is what takes place when such rights are not well-documented or such agreements are not well-drafted or when parties have failed to see with vision and is about seeking to fix a transaction after legal disputes or other problems have arisen.  Often this takes the form of very expensive and time consuming litigation or other such formal proceedings.  Often as well it occurs when a sale or other transaction is about to take place and the party discovers that it does not have the rights it thought it had.

In my experience, preventative law is almost always cheaper than remedial law.  Help me is almost always cheaper than fix me.   If you see things as an entrepreneur, then you will understand this approach.
 

Notice and Disclaimer

I am licensed to practice law in California, which is where my office is located and where I practice law.  I do not handle litigation matters and do not appear in court in California or any other state.  This web site is designed to provide legal information and is not intended to be advertising.  I do not seek to represent any party based solely on that party's visit to my web site in a state or other jurisdiction in which this web site fails to comply with all laws and ethical rules of that state.
Notice and Disclaimer

This web site and the articles contained on this web site are not legal advice and are not intended as legal advice.  This web site and the articles contained on this web site are intended to provide only general, non-specific legal information.  This web site and the articles contained on this web site are not intended to cover all the issues related to the topic discussed.  The specific facts that apply to your matter may make the outcome different than would be anticipated by you.  This web site and the articles contained on this web site are based on United States law.  You should consult with an attorney familiar with the issues and the laws of your country.  This web site and the articles contained on this web site do not create any attorney client relationship between you and Ivan Hoffman.  This web site and the articles contained on this web site are not solicitations.

INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY EXPERIENCE


Among the wide variety of transactions I have handled in my career (now in its 34th year) are the following:

INTERNET LAW

· Affiliate Program Agreements
· Designation of Agent Forms for DMCA
· Privacy Policies including COPPA compliance
· Terms of Use
· Web Design Agreements
· Web Designer/Independent Contractor Agreements
· Web Hosting and Maintenance Agreements
· Licenses for Use of Protected Materials
· Web Site Copyrighting
· Content Licensing
· Electronic Publishing Agreements including acquisition and licensing agreements
· Software and Shareware licenses
· Domain Name Disputes
· Domain Name Transfer/Lease Agreements
· Nondisclosure and Confidentiality Agreements
· On Line Dating Subscription Agreement and Privacy Policy
· On Line Financial Web Site Membership Agreement and Disclaimer
· Electronic Retailing Agreements
· Employment and Independent Contractor Agreements
· Mobile Phone Game Agreements

PUBLISHING LAW

· Author-Publisher Agreements including computer book publishing agreements
· Publisher Distributor Agreements
· Foreign Publishing Agreements including single and multiple territory agreements, translation and reprint agreements
· Cover Artist/Illustrator Agreements
· Editor Agreements
· Subsidy Publishing Agreements
· Copublishing Agreements
· Agency Agreements
· Ghostwriter Agreements
· Motion Picture/Television Rights Agreements
· Copyright Assignments and Copyright forms
· Collaboration Agreements
· Model Releases and Permission Licenses
· Interview Releases
· Rights Reversion Agreements
· Purchase/Sale of Publishing Company
· Analysis of Old Copyright and Contract Issues Including Out of Print Issues

TRADEMARK LAW

· Applications, search reviews
· Post application filings
· Domain Name Disputes
· Domain Name Transfer/Lease Agreements

RECORDING AND MUSIC LAW

· Songwriter Agreements
· Recording Agreements
· Foreign Publishing Agreements
· Copublishing Agreements
· Master Lease Agreements
· Film and Television Scoring Agreements
· Agency and Management Agreements
· Television and Motion Picture Synchronization Licensing Agreements
· Copyright Issues Regarding Old Musical Composition Renewals

CORPORATE LAW

· Articles of Incorporation, Minutes, By Laws etc.
· Limited Liability Company Operating Agreements etc.
 
 

PUBLISHED ARTICLES

Some of the articles I have written have been translated into other languages.

· Business, Management, and Legal Programs Forum of UCLA Extension
· UCLA Extension (MCLE Self Assessment Articles)
· DevWebPro Newsletter
· Mill Creek Partners
· El Sitio Maestro.com
· Institute of Chartered Financial Analyst of India Journal of Intellectual Property Rights
· ADSlogans Unlimited
· Illinois Woman's Press Association
· Women's National Book Association/Los Angeles Chapter and National
· The DevWeb Web Magazine
· JurisNotes.com
· Site Point Network (multiple articles)
· BarBrief Newsletter of the Beverly Hills Bar Association
· Opportunity Update Online Magazine
· Virtual University Business Digest
· Distance-Educator.com
· The Daily Profitstream
· Freelancehelp.com
· Independent Publisher Online
· Direct Marketing Association Interactive
· Rightsworld.com
· Gigalaw.com (multiple articles)
· Author'sDigest.com
· Brazos Writers
· St. Louis Publishers Association
· The Rock, A Weekly Electronic Magazine for Writers
· International Association of Computer Professionals web site
· The Web Site of the Government of Hong Kong
· Microtimes Magazine
· The Intellectual Property Newsletter of the State Bar of Georgia
· Publishers Marketing Association (multiple articles)
· Romance Writers of America, Austin Chapter
· Writers Edge On Line Magazine
· Mesh Magazine
· BookZone
· Studio B On Line
· SPAN (Small Publishers and Authors Network)
· Honolulu Writers Conference
· International Interactive Communications Society Oregon Chapter
· Keystrokes On Line Magazine
 
 

SEMINARS TAUGHT

· Independent Writers of Southern California (2005, 2006)
· Entrepreneurship and the Internet-UCLA Extension
· Copyright In the 21st Century: Lecture as Part of Seminar of Prof. David Nimmer-UCLA Law School
· Publishing and Writing Law-UCLA Extension
· Principles of Intellectual Property Law-UCLA Extension
· Judge, Intercollegiate Competition on Ethics and Business Center for Ethics and Business, Loyola Marymount University
· California Writers Club-May, 2002
· Sacramento Publishers Association-April 28, 2001
· Keynote Speaker-Temple University Virtual Conference on Intellectual Property and Digital Information in
          Higher Education-April 18, 2001
·  HorizonLive.com Online Lecture on Legal Issues in Distance Education-January, 2001, May, 2003

  • Clicking with Kids & Teens:Creating & Marketing Content In The Digital Age-November, 2000-Los Angeles
  • Interview with ITWorld.com-November, 2000
  • MX Mastermind Teleconference on Publishing and Internet Law-September, 2000

    • · International Business Law and the Internet-July, 2000-UCLA Extension
    · Roundtable Forum on Technology and Privacy June, 2000
    · How To Make Money as a Web Designer-Webgrrls-June, 2000-Los Angeles
    · Internet Law and Marketing for the Modern Publisher-May, 2000, 2001-Chicago
    · Foreign Publishing Deals-May, 2000-Chicago
    · Privacy, Government Regulations and Security on the Internet-Venice Interactive Community-May, 2000-Los Angeles
    · San Fernando Valley Bar Association-May, 2000
    · Bay Area Editors Forum-January, 2000
    · UCLA Campus Editors and Writers Organization- December, 1999
    · International Symposium on Intellectual Property and Information Technology- Hong Kong, November, 1999
    · The California Lawyers for the Arts-October, 1999
    · The Mountains and Plains Booksellers Association-September, 1999
    · The Learning Annex - Multiple Occasions
    · The Bay Area Form - July, 1999
    · UCLA Extension - May 1999
    · Washington College - May 1999
    · The Waterside Conference - Spring 1997
    · The Publishers Marketing Association - 1996,1997,1998
    · SPAWN (Small Publishers, Artists and Writers Network) 1997
    · The Bakersfield Womens Business Conference 1998
    · The San Diego Publishing Alliance 1996

    MEDIA

    Interviews about law and the Internet and cited as an expert in:

    ·   ABCNews.com June 2007
    ·  DHL Business Watch Newsletter June, 2006
    ·  San Francisco Chronicle, May 14, 2006
    ·  "The Publishing Game: Publish a Book in 30 Days"  by Fern Reiss
    ·  Pages Magazine
    ·  PR Intelligence Report
    ·  Bloomberg Television News Service
    ·  The Beautiful Plan
    ·  Folio: FIRST DAY
    ·  CommVerge Magazine
    ·  Computer and Internet LAWCAST
    ·  Business Week Online (multiple interviews)
    ·  Mac Design Magazine, March/April 2001
    ·  The Charlotte Austin Review, Ltd.
    ·  Los Angeles Times, November 15, 2000
    ·  "Understanding Computers in Healthcare" by Ben Weinstock, P.T.
    · "To Protect Serve" by Denise Dubie (Publish Magazine, September 2000)
    ·  "Writerspeaker.com" by Carmen Leal
    ·  Writers Digest Annual Childrens Writers and Illustrators Market 2001
    ·  Training Magazine (March, 2000)
    · "The Complete Idiots Guide to Macromedia Flash 5" by David Karlins
    ·  "Webmastering for Dummies"
    ·  "Mastering FrontPage 98"
    ·  "Mastering Netscape Communicator"
    ·  "Surfing the Internet with Netscape Communicator"
                (all by Brenda Kienan)
    · "HTML For The World Wide Web" by Elizabeth Castro
     "deconstructing web graphics" by Lynda Weinman
    · "Cyberscribes" by Anne Hart
    ·  I/O Magazine
    · www.newmedia.com
    · About.com
    · Music Connection (twice)
    · Microtimes Magazine
    · Wordsmith (http://www.aw-wrdsmth.com)
    · "Everything You Always Wanted To Know About POD Publishing But Didn't Know Who To Ask" by John Harnish
    · Momwriters On Line Chat
    · Radio Shows

    ·  Mycoolcareer.com
    ·  The Business/High Tech Hour with Bob McCormick-KNX Radio (Multiple Interviews)
    ·  Web Talk Guys
    ·  "Talking About This Week" on About.com
    ·  "Inside The Net"
    · "On Ramp with John Levine"
    · "Net Talk"
    · "Computer Radio"
    · "Entertainment On Line"
    · "The Cyber Advocate Radio Show"
    · In speaking, teaching and training venues at:

          · Florida Coastal School of Law
          · College Franois-Xavier-Garneau, Ontario Canada
          ·  Finger Lakes Community College
         ·  Arts Council of Indianapolis
         ·  Society for Marketing Professional Services
         ·  NYU Center for Publishing ("Profitability in Book Publishing").  Master's Level Class.
        ·  New Hampshire Technical Institute
        ·  Griboedov Institute of International Law and Economics (Moscow, Russia)
        ·  Yavapai College
        ·  InsideSessions (Penguin Putnam Publishing)
        · University of Missouri-Kansas City
        · The 1999 Stanford Conference on E-commerce
        · The Ragan Communications Technology for Communicators Conference
        · The 2000 Stanford Conference on E-commerce
    ·     San Jose State University E-commerce Management program; two courses:
            · Content Development
            · Staffing, Insourcing, and Outsourcing
    ·  College of The Canyons, Santa Clarita, California
    ·  San Diego State University
    ·  Southwest Tennessee Community College
    ·  Open University of Hong Kong
    ·  University of Aarhus, Denmark
    ·  University of North Alabama
    ·  State University of New York College at Oneonta
    ·  Kansas State University
    ·  Case Western Reserve School of Law

    GIVING BACK TO THE LEGAL AND BUSINESS COMMUNITY

    I have been exceptionally fortunate in my career (being an excellent lawyer also helps of course) and these are just some of the ways I have chosen to give something back.

    ·  Justice, UCLA Law School Moot Court Competition 2006
    ·  Judge, Project Echo Business Plan Competition 2005, 2006
    ·  Judge, Intercollegiate Competition on "Ethics and Business," Center for Ethics and Business, Loyola Marymount University 2004, 2005

    LAW SCHOOL:  UCLA, 1965-1968.  Moot Court Honors Program.

    UNDERGRADUATE SCHOOL:  UCLA, 1961-1965.

    PRACTICE:  1969-present (now in my 35th year not including 5 years off from 1990-1995): Entertainment Law, Internet Law and Intellectual Property Law (music, records, films, television, Internet Law, authors, publishers, web site designers, site owners etc.)

     Endorsements and Testimonials

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