Monday, June 23, 2014

Hendricks & Lewis PLLC v. Clinton (9th Cir. - June 23, 2014)

George Clinton is a famous musician, a member of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, and is still going strong at 72.  If you're into funk, he's a classic.

But if you want to listen to his music -- perhaps Atomic Dog, anyone? -- you're going to have to ask the Seattle law firm of Hendricks & Lewis.  Not because it represents him.  But rather because it now owns his copyrights.  Having seized them for unpaid legal fees.

I'm not sure how it got this bad.  Hendricks and Lewis used to represent Clinton.  Racking up . . . wait for it . . . over $3.3 million in legal fees between 2005 and 2008.  When Clinton only paid the firm a little over a million bucks, the firm went after Clinton.  Ultimately enforcing the fee obligation not only to judgment, but also subsequently enforcing the judgment against pretty much anything the firm could find.  Including the copyrights.

Funky.