Welcome
Practice Areas
Resource Links
Attorneys
Reported Cases
Representative Clients
Firm Overview
Map to Office
Guest Book



Leopold, Petrich & Smith

Joel McCabe Smith
Leopold, Petrich & Smith, A Professional Corporation
Suite 3110
2049 Century Park East
Century City
Los Angeles, CA 90067-3274
 
 
Communication Center  
Phone: (310) 277-3333
E-mail: jsmith@lpsla.com
Fax: (310) 277-7444
Web site: http://www.lpsla.com


Position Areas of Practice Bar Admissions
Education Published Works Affiliations
Representative Cases

Current Employment Position(s):
Of Counsel
Areas Of Practice:
Entertainment
Copyright and Trademark
Libel and Slander
Rights of Privacy and Publicity
Unfair Competition
Insurance
Bar Admissions:
California, 1972
U.S. Supreme Court
U.S. Court of Appeals 6th Circuit
U.S. Court of Appeals 7th Circuit
U.S. Court of Appeals 9th Circuit
U.S. District Court Central District of California
U.S. District Court Southern District of California
U.S. District Court Western District of Washington
Education:
University of California at Los Angeles School of Law, Los Angeles, California, 1971
Law Review: Member, University of California Law Review, 1969 - 1971

University of California, Los Angeles, CA, USA, 1968
B.A.

Published Works:
Ninth Circuit Permits Right of Publicity to Trump First Amendment (A Legal Analysis of the Ninth Circuit Court's Opinion in Downing v. Abercrombie & Fitch), Libel Defense Resource Center Newsletter, October 22, 2001
 
Hoffman v. Los Angeles Magazine: Redux [A Legal Analysis of the Ninth Circuit Court's Opinion in Hoffman v. Los Angeles Magazine], ABA, First Amendment and Media Litigation Committee Newsletter, Fall, 2001
 
Toot, Toot, Tootsie, Don't Cry, a Legal Analysis of the District Court's Opinion in Hoffman v. Los Angeles Magazine, Libel Defense Resource Center Newsletter, March, 1999
Representative Cases:
Downing v. Abercrombie & Fitch, 265 F.3d 994 (U.S. Court of Appeals 9th Circuit 2001)
 
FASA Corp. v. Playmates Toys, Inc., 108 F.3d 140 (U.S. Court of Appeals 7th Circuit 1997)
 
Harper House, Inc. v. Thomas Nelson, Inc., 889 F.2d 197 (U.S. Court of Appeals 9th Circuit 1989)
 
Houts v. Universal City Studios, Inc., 603 F. Supp. 26 (U.S. District Court Central District of California 1984)
 
Harper House, Inc. v. Thomas Nelson, Inc., 19 U.S.P.Q. 2d 1303 (U.S. District Court Central District of California 1991)
 
Mann v. Columbia Pictures, Inc., 128 Cal. App. 3d 628 (1982)
 
McGuiness v. Motor Trend Magazine, 129 Cal. App. 3d 59 (1982)
Classes/Seminars Taught:
Graduate Student Seminar, Mass Communication Law, University of Southern California, 2003
 
Silver Screen Stars, Stooges and Surfers: California's Right of Publicity Law in the Aftermath of Hoffman, Saderup and Abercrombie, Los Angeles Copyright Society, 2002
 
Conference Panelist, Entertainment Session, Risk & Insurance Management Society, Inc., 2001
 
Panelist: Ethics: What Lawyers Can and Can't Say To The Media, University of Kansas Media & The Law Seminar, 1999
 
Cams, Scams and Legal Jams -- News, Infortainment, and the First Amendment: An Examination of the Developing Law of TV News, Magazines, Docudramas, Reality-Based Prgramming and Parody, American Bar Association Forum on Communications, 1996
 
Panelist, Mid Winter Meeting, Copyright Litigation, U.S. Copyright Society, 1995
 
Creativity Versus The Copier: The Trial Of a Copyright Action, Direct and Cross Examiniation of an Expert Witness Issue of Substantial Similarity of Two Dramatic Works, American Bar Association, Intellectual Property Law, Commercial Torts and Defamation Torts Committee, 1987
 
Entertainment Litigation, U.S.C. Law Institute, 1986
 
The Legal Effect of the Beatlemania Litigation, Apple v. Leber, et al., Los Angeles Copyright Society, 1986
 
The Trial of a Business Entertainment Lawsuit, Examination of an Expert Witness and Defendant's Key Witness, Beverly Hills Bar Association, Trial Advocacy Program, 1982
 
The Legal Impact of the Shampoo Litigation, Mann v. Columbia, etc., et al., Los Angeles Copyright Society, 1982
 
Copyrights -- A Look Into the 1980's Defense Trial Analysis -- Techniques and Tactics, Los Angeles County Bar Association, Intellectual Property and Unfair Competition Section, 1981
 
The Trial of a Business -- Entertainment Case, Practical and Tactical Considerations Presented in a Business Entertainment Jury Trial, Beverly Hills Bar Association, Trial Advocacy Program
Professional Associations and Memberships:
California State Bar Association
Member
Birth Information:
August 20, 1945, Greeley, Colorado, United States of America

Site Directory:
WELCOME  |  PRACTICE AREAS  |  RESOURCE LINKS  |   ATTORNEYS  |  REPORTED CASES
REPRESENTATIVE CLIENTS  |  FIRM OVERVIEW  |  MAP TO OFFICE


Copyright © by Leopold, Petrich & Smith. All rights reserved.

The hiring of a lawyer is an important decision that should not be based solely upon the contents of a website. Before you decide, ask us to send you additional free written information about our qualifications and experience.

The information you obtain at this site is not, nor is it intended to be, legal advice. You should consult an attorney for individual advice regarding your own situation.

You may reproduce materials available at this site for your personal use and for non-commercial distribution. All copies must include the above copyright notice.