September 1, 2009

An Associate's Guide to the Practice of Copyright Law by Joshua J. Kaufman and Meaghan Hemmings Kent reviewed by 1709 Copyright Blog

2 min

An Associate's Guide to the Practice of Copyright Law a publication written by Joshua J. Kaufman and Meaghan Hemmings Kent, was recently reviewed on the 1709 Copyright Blog.

According to the reviewer, the book provides "…helpful tips that enable the young copyright practitioner to be a self-starter and to know how to steer a job from its inception to a plausible conclusion. Apart from a clear, concise text, the authors flag plenty of 'practice tips' which the reader can peruse while waiting to catch a bus (some of these tips are in fact summaries of legal rules)."

The reviewer also remarked that "…the focus is plainly on the US practitioner. Given the sui generis nature of US copyright law and practice and the sheer wealth of case law, this book will clearly be of less use to the lawyer from other jurisdictions. However, it will be handy for any non-US copyright lawyer who spends hours on the phone to his US counterparts and sometimes struggles to comprehend issues which are alien to him."

A statement from the publisher of the book describes it as a guide to help associates through what is typically the most challenging part of their job: knowing where to find information and what specifically they need to complete a particular task or assignment. Written by a senior associate (Meaghan Hemmings Kent) and a supervising partner (Joshua J. Kaufman), the authors reign in the work process for associates and give practice-oriented advice on important topics such as what questions to ask a client, what research to conduct, what elements must be met for various causes of action, the potential repercussions for various actions and the proper alternatives to be considered. The book also includes sample documents and pleadings, references to secondary sources and key cases in copyright law.