Erin Ranahan Interview
LAWSUIT PRIMER Get an overview of the copyright lawsuit, including a timeline of the case, as well as downloadable pleadings made by the plaintiffs, CBS and Paramount, and defendants Alec Peters and Axanar Productions Inc. » Lawsuit Primer
Axanar attorney Erin Ranahan gave an interview published January 26, 2016, 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):
Axanar’s pro bono attorney, Erin Ranahan
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.
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