Showing posts with label claims. Show all posts
Showing posts with label claims. Show all posts

Tuesday, February 22, 2022

Most Favored Nations Damages Claims

During my decades of experience, I have made thousands of audit claims in connection with so-called “MFN” (i.e., Most Favored Nations) clauses.

As examples, many mechanical reproduction licenses for musical works and film profit participation agreements with talent contain MFN clauses, as do many licensing and other agreements.  As part of certain royalty audits, it is my job to quantify damages for non-compliance with this standard agreement provision.

Although counterparties cooperate to various degrees, my approach is generally to request the information – such as agreements with third parties, rate files and accountings - in order to ascertain whether a counterparty has complied with its commitment to pay rates to our firm's client(s) that are equally favorable compared to those agreed or paid to other relevant parties. If my team and I find that a counterparty failed to comply with a most favored nations provision, we utilize actual or estimated rates to quantify reportable royalties from which we deduct royalties reported (or claimed elsewhere in our audit or expert report).

Friday, October 10, 2014

Why You Need a Better YouTube Strategy


I was recently honored to speak with an elite group of L.A.'s best business managers about how YouTube drives a recording artist's recoupment of video accounts and earnings.

According to a recent Viacom study, 91% of 13-40 year olds "listen to the song/watch the video on YouTube prior to purchasing."

Yet, YouTube cannibalizes record sales and it and Vevo - through which UMG and SONY take an extra cut - pay controversially low royalty rates.

Thus, whether independent or major, your clients are best served by a very thoughtful YouTube business strategy.

Here are four points I consider when helping business managers develop a YouTube financial plan for music clients:

Are you a business manager, attorney, personal manager or advisor?

Call me today at 
424.248.8866 to influence these and other key factors of your clients' financial success.