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Axanar Attorney's Interview 1/26/16
Axanar’s pro bono attorney, Erin Ranahan
Axanar attorney Erin Ranahan gave an interview to Crain’s Chicago Business journal, in which she explained why her firm, Winston & Strawn, took on the case pro bono (i.e., not charging for the attorneys’ time):
Ranahan’s practice focuses on copyright, new media, entertainment, trademark, right of publicity and false-advertising litigation. The firm took the case “to get great experience, get good exposure and hopefully help shape the law,” she said.1)
Avenues for Defense
Ranahan told the Chicago paper she saw two possible avenues for Axanar’s defense:
Axanar’s defense hinges on two key legal points, Ranahan said: fair use and waiver. Fair use doctrine allows works to be reproduced without obtaining permission under certain circumstances related to the nature of the work, how much is copied and how it affects the work’s market value.
The issue of waiver arises because Paramount and CBS, which own the “Star Trek” copyrights, have historically tolerated fan-generated work not produced for profit, including a short film put out by Axanar Productions.