Practice Areas

Representing Internet companies in Section 230, copyright, DMCA, trademark, idea submission, breach of contract and other related issues.

Some of the cases our attorneys have handled:

Kline & Specter, PC v. Thomas E. Bosworth and Bosworth Law, LLC (Los Angeles Superior Court 2024). Prevailed on an anti-SLAPP motion against a major personal injury law firm, which claimed that its former employee's viral TikTok video commentary about his ongoing litigation against the firm violated TikTok's terms of service.
Domen v. Vimeo, Inc. --- F.4th --- (2d Cir. 2021). The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit affirmed a district court order dismissing a lawsuit against firm client Vimeo, Inc. Vimeo had taken down the channel of a user (a church and its pastor) that had been advocating sexual orientation change efforts. Vimeo determined that the user's videos violated its terms of service. The Court held that Vimeo was immune from suit pursuant to Section 230. The Court's opinion can be found here. Jean-Paul Jassy, Kevin Vick and Elizabeth Baldridge worked on the briefing, and Vimeo's General Counsel, Michael Cheah, argued and briefed the case.
Riggs v. MySpace, Inc. (C.D. Cal. and 9th Cir. 2009-12). Defeated idea submission allegations made against social media website, MySpace.
Kinney v. YouTube, 2018 WL 5961898 (Cal. Ct. App. Nov. 14, 2018). Successfully defended YouTube at trial and appellate level against various contract, statutory and tort claims based on YouTube’s suspension of plaintiff’s account and removal of his videos from YouTube platform. A copy of the Court of Appeal’s opinion is here. Coverage of the decision by Professor Eric Goldman’s Technology & Marketing Law Blog is here.
T.C. v. Jerry Media LLC (C.D. Cal. 2017). Represented plaintiff in case related to plaintiff’s famous Instagram account with more than 2.6 million followers. Complaint included claims under Computer Fraud and Abuse Act, California Comprehensive Computer Data Access and Fraud Act, and California common law. Obtained favorable settlement for client promptly after filing suit.
Home Decor Center, Inc. v. Google Inc. (C.D. Cal. 2013, 9th Cir. 2014). Obtained summary judgment for Google against claims for trademark infringement and unfair competition under the Lanham Act relating to Google’s AdWords program.
Booloon, Inc. v. Google Inc., 2012 WL 1898937 (Cal. Ct. App. May 25, 2012), 2013 WL 164512 (Cal. Ct. App. Jan. 16, 2013). Successfully defended Google from successive idea submission/trade secret lawsuits in trial and appellate courts.
Tarantino v. Gawker Media, 2014 WL 2434647 (C.D. Cal. April 22, 2014). Court dismissed plaintiff screenwriter-director’s copyright infringement claims against website.
Seton v. LegalZoom.com, Inc. (Los Angeles Superior Court 2009). Successfully defended Internet-based legal document preparation company, LegalZoom, from claims for breach of contract and profit participation.
AVT, Inc. v. Lane (C.D. Cal. 2010). Successfully defended RTST, Inc. (publisher of online news site, The Daily Beast) against defamation claims.
Troyer v. TMZ.com (C.D. Cal. 2008). Successfully vacated prior restraint against entertainment news website in a case brought by actor Verne Troyer for copyright infringement, misappropriation of right of publicity, Lanham Act violations and invasion of privacy.
Cammarata v. Bright Imperial Ltd., 2011 WL 227943 (Cal. Ct. App. Jan. 26, 2011). In trial and appellate courts, successfully defended several advertisers on “tube” websites with anti-SLAPP motions against claims of unfair competition.
Eade v. InvestorsHub.com, Inc.(C.D. Cal. 2011-12). Won an anti-SLAPP motion and fee award in defense of a defamation claim against a company operating an Internet bulletin board.
Metro Publishing Inc. v. SurfMet, Inc., 2002 WL 32074709 (July 3, 2002). Obtained preliminary injunction against publisher for confusingly similar trademark in metadata, domain name and on website.