Blackletter

Delve into the fascinating realm of music publishing and royalties with Tom Dunlap as he explores the iconic collaboration between Michael Jackson and Paul McCartney on the song 'Say Say Say,' leading to an unexpected twist involving The Beatles' catalog. Discover how Michael Jackson's strategic acquisition of music rights paved the way for a lavish lifestyle and dig into the intricate world of mechanical royalties, performance royalties, synchronization fees, and print rights. Explore the legacy left behind by this strategic move, and gain insights into how music publishers generate income through various rights channels. Tune in to uncover the interesting tale of ownership, royalties, and the interplay between legendary artists in the ever-evolving landscape of music rights.

In this compelling episode, Tom Dunlap delves into the intricate world of witness tampering, examining its profound significance, legal ramifications, and evolving challenges in the age of social media. Drawing from recent headlines surrounding former President Donald Trump's alleged witness tampering on the Truth Social platform, Tom takes you on a thought-provoking journey through the dark corners of legal manipulation and intimidation. Tune in to gain a comprehensive understanding of the multifaceted issue of witness tampering in today's digital communication age.

What role do lawyers have in the business of patents and intellectual property?

On the Blackletter podcast this week, host Tom Dunlap sits down with episode guest Anthony Brown, a former lawyer and President of Cascades Ventures, who made a significant switch in his professional path when he began working in patent monetization. After spending the beginning of his career as a law firm partner and a government attorney, Anthony decided to turn to the business end of IP and patents and now runs a company that performs patent monetization. 

On the episode, Anthony explains how he got into patent monetization and what this line of work entails. In doing so, he expands upon the importance of patents, what it means to have one, and the various factors that may influence a patient's value. Although each case is unique, Anthony sheds light on the general ins and outs of the patent monetization process and intellectual property law.

To hear about Anthony's career in law and patent monetization, tune in to this enlightening episode! And check back in for the next installment of The Blackletter Podcast, where Anthony shares a deep dive into some of the personal experiences he has gained throughout his profession.

Anthony Brown LinkedIn

In this episode, Tom Dunlap delves into a groundbreaking Supreme Court case involving Jack Daniels Properties and Bad Spaniels. The battle over a trademark takes an unexpected turn when Bad Spaniels claims their parody chew toy is protected by the First Amendment. But what will the Supreme Court decide? Does the First Amendment shield them from trademark infringement claims? The verdict holds significant implications for brand owners. Tune in to discover the shocking ruling and its potential game-changing effects.

What advice would an expert give on maintaining business security and compliance?

On the Blackletter podcast this week, host Tom Dunlap interviews episode guest Jennifer Morris, a former attorney for the CIA with law experience inside the government and businesses. Jennifer is here to share her insights on business compliance, risk balancing, and risk management. As a professional with top-secret clearance, Jen had to become an expert in the ins and outs of security and compliance. Today, she helps clients in the private sector and tells listeners everything she can share about her current role.

Business compliance is a tough act to balance, and Jen shares how her background helps her bring a business perspective to the practice of law regarding compliance and risk management. From safely securing government contracts to gaining cybersecurity maturity model certification, she explains all of the different aspects of her role that enables her to provide professional expertise on business security.

Tune in to learn more in this fascinating episode of the Blackletter podcast!

In this episode, Tom Dunlap delves into the recent Supreme Court ruling that struck down the ability of universities to use race as an additional factor in student admissions. He provides a comprehensive overview of the history of affirmative admissions practices, the key legal cases that shaped these practices, and the subsequent changes in admissions policies. Tom examines the Supreme Court's opinion on the matter, highlighting the reasoning behind their decision. He also explores the implications of this ruling for universities and discusses the alternative approaches they may adopt to achieve diversity goals. Join us as we delve into the complex landscape of race-based admissions and its impact on higher education institutions.

How can law professionals break through the barriers to achieve their success?

On the Blackletter podcast this week, host Tom Dunlap revisits some prior season 9 episodes where he and guest speakers discussed professional success and how to achieve it.

The power of small numbers with Gordan Sumner (0:44)

As a former Army officer, Gordon Sumner had to make significant changes to succeed with his nonprofit organization, Veterans Moving Forward. In his interview with Tom, Gordan discussed his organization which provides service and emotional support dogs to veterans, and the logistics challenges he overcame as its CEO.

He explains that teamwork, finding true believers in his mission, and increasing monthly donor support is crucial to his nonprofit. He also provides personal experiences to elaborate on the power of small numbers. In addition, he shares that asking for input from the rest of his team is integral to his organization.

Finally, he shares his advice for organizations struggling to manage their operations and resources. 

Check out the interview on episodes 96, 97, and 98 of the podcast!

The three pieces of LinkedIn with Jason Levin (7:54)

Next, we check out this interview with Jason Levin, where he discusses the value of business connections. Jason is the author of “Relationships to Infinity: The Art and Science of Keeping in Touch.” 

Jason shares his relationship-building insights for attorneys looking to network through LinkedIn. He shares that, aside from establishing connections, there are two essential pieces to LinkedIn: maintaining a robust profile and sharing valuable content. He elaborates on what makes a good profile and how content on the platform can help attorneys show off their expertise, share their accomplishments, and advance their goals.

He also gives advice to anyone looking to boost their networking and professional relationship-building skills. These include building a list of important professional contacts, reframing your mindset from transactional networking to authentic relationship building, and overcoming your “Bermuda keep in touch triangle” barriers keeping you from establishing connections with others.

Check out the interview on episodes 100, 101, and 102 of the podcast!

The things to do to succeed with Mark Fava (17:44)

The episode concludes with a segment from Tom’s interview with Mark Fava, an attorney who works as an ombudsman and Vice President for Boeing Corporation. Mark explains how law professionals can succeed in their pursuits by using his three pieces of advice: purposeful planning, persistence, and patience.

Check out the interview on episodes 103, 104, and 105 of the podcast!

In recent news, the United States and the Dutch government have announced tighter regulations on exports of certain circuit boards and semiconductor chips to China. Tom Dunlap discusses the importance of understanding three essential rules for exporting and importing from the United States.

1. Export Administration Regulations (EAR): Deals with commercial goods and non-controlled, non-military items.
2. International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR): Involves the US Munitions List (USML) and is more stringent, aimed at preventing military-use items from reaching unfriendly foreign countries.
3. Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC): Administers economic sanctions against countries and individuals, making it vital to check for prohibited items and persons when dealing with exports to certain countries.

To find more information, one can visit export.gov, the state department's website, or the OFAC website. It's crucial to seek advice from an attorney or an expert in ITAR, EAR, and OFAC Rules before exporting anything of potential military value, such as software or items related to space.

Overall, understanding these regulations is essential to comply with export and import requirements properly.

This week on Monday Morning Minutes, Tom Dunlap discusses the controversial Apple trademark case happening in Switzerland. Apple is trying to trademark a 2D image of an apple without a bite taken from it. The 111-year-old Swiss Fruit Union, which protects the interests of fruit growers, is concerned. Tom takes on this odd situation and what he thinks will happen next. Tune in to this episode of Monday Morning Minutes to hear more. 

On the Blackletter podcast this week, host Tom Dunlap concludes his three-part interview with Mark Fava, an attorney who works as an ombudsman and Vice President for Boeing Corporation. Together Tom and Mark discuss Mark’s advice for listeners trying to launch their career success. 

Building success in business and aviation law took Mark several years and lots of hard work. On this episode, Mark shares three pieces of advice he would offer budding entrepreneurs and other professionals looking to further their careers. He describes these as the three P’s: planning, persistence, and patience. Mark provided examples of the persistence and patience that he practiced to fuel his career success. He also explains how he went to conferences over the years and built relationships with other professionals that helped him along his career journey. 

Tune in to this episode to hear Mark share his career wisdom, and check out episodes 8-10 of The Blackletter Podcast to listen to his entire interview.