Publications - Mary LaFrance

Books

Music Law in a Nutshell (West Academic 2025).

Understanding Intellectual Property Law (Matthew Bender/LexisNexis 2d ed. 2011) (3d ed. 2015) (Carolina Academic Press 4th ed. 2019) (with Donald Chisum et al.).

Understanding Trademark Law (LexisNexis 2d ed. 2009) (Carolina Academic Press 3d ed. 2016) (4th ed. 2019).

Intellectual Property Cases and Materials (Thomson West 3d ed. 2007) (4th ed. 2012) (5th ed. 2018) (6th ed. 2023).

Copyright Law in a Nutshell (West 2d ed. 2011) (3d ed. 2017) (4th ed. 2022).

Entertainment Law on a Global Stage (West 2015) (2d ed. 2022).

Global Issues in Copyright Law (West 2009).

Teacher’s Manual to Intellectual Property Cases and Materials (Thomson West 3d ed. 2007) (with David Lange).

Book Contributions

Collective Management of Copyright and Related Rights in the United States, in Collective Management of Copyright and Related Rights (Daniel Gervais & João Pedro Quintais ed., Wolters Kluwer 4th ed. 2025).

Japanese Dilution Law, in Trademark Dilution and Free Riding (Dan Bereskin ed., Edward Elgar 2023) (with Kenneth L. Port & Yoshiyuki Tamura).

Streaming of Music and Audiovisual Works, in Trade in Knowledge (World Trade Organization ed., Cambridge University Press 2022).

Using Trademark Law to Override Copyright's First Sale Rule for Imported Copies, in Research Handbook on Intellectual Property Exhaustion and Parallel Imports (Irene Calboli & Edward Lee eds., Edward Elgar 2016).

Avoiding Mutant Trademarks: A Statutory Exclusion for Copyrighted Accessories to Parallel Imports, in Trademark Protection and Territoriality Challenges in a Global Economy (Irene Calboli & Edward Lee eds., Edward Elgar 2014).

Passing Off and Unfair Competition Regimes Compared, in Common Law and Civil Law Systems in Intellectual Property (Toshiko Takenaka ed., Edward Elgar Publ’g 2013).

Who Is an Author?, in Intellectual Property and Information Wealth (Peter Yu ed., Praeger 2007).

Articles

Copyright, eBook, and the Future of Digital Lending, 27 Yale J. L. & Tech. 58 (2025) (selected for inclusion in the 2026 edition of Entertainment, Publishing and the Arts Handbook).

The Future of Research and Experimentation After the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, 77 The Tax Law. 129 (2023).

Apportioning Authorship, 71 U. Kan. L. Rev. 209 (2022).

Joint Authorship and Dramatic Works: A Critical History, 45 Colum. J.L. & Arts 411 (2022).

Public Art, Public Space, and the Panorama Right, 55 Wake Forest L. Rev. 597 (2020).

An Ocean Apart: Transatlantic Approaches to Unlicensed Streaming and the "Value Gap," 47 AIPLA Q. J.  267 (2019).

Choice of Law and the Right of Publicity: Rethinking the Domicile Rule, 37 Cardozo Arts & Ent. L.J. 1 (2019).

Music Modernization and the Labyrinth of Streaming, 2 Bus., Entrepreneurship & Tax L. Rev. 310 (2018).

Are We Serious About Performers' Rights?, 5 IP Theory 81 (2015).

A Material World: Using Trademark Law to Override Copyright's First Sale Rule for Imported Copies, 21 Mich. Telecomm. & Tech. L. Rev. 43 (2014), reprinted in Intellectual Property Law Review (Thomson Reuters 2015).

Wag the Dog: Using Incidental Intellectual Property Rights to Block Parallel Imports, 20 Mich. Telecomm. & Tech. L. Rev. 45 (2013).

Using Incidental Copyrights to Block Parallel Imports: A Comparative Perspective, 25 IP J. 149 (2013).

The Disappearing Fourth Wall: Ethics, Law and Experiential Theatre, 15 Vand. J. Ent. Tech. L. 507 (2013).

The Case for a Legislative Amendment Against "Accessory Copyright" for Gray Market Products: What Can the United States Learn from Singapore and Australia?, Sing. J. Legal Stud., Dec. 2013, at 253 (with Irene Calboli).

Graduated Response by Industry Compact: Piercing the Black Box, 30 Cardozo Arts & Ent. L.J. 165 (2012).

Passing Off and Unfair Competition: Conflict and Convergence in Competition Law, 2011 Mich. St. L. Rev. 1413, reprinted in 102 Trademark Rep. 1096 (2012).

Initial Impressions: Trademark Protection for Abbreviations of Generic or Descriptive Terms, 45 Akron L. Rev. 201 (2012).

From Whether to How: The Challenge of Implementing a Full Public Performance Right in Sound Recordings, 2 Harv. J. Sports & Ent. L. 221 (2011).

Identical Cousins? On the Road with Dilution and the Right of Publicity, 24 Santa Clara Computer & High Tech. L.J. 641 (2008) (with Gail H. Cline).

No Reason to Live: Dilution Laws as Unconstitutional Restrictions on Commercial Speech, 58 S.C. L. Rev. 709 (2007).

Steam Shovels and Lipstick: Trademarks, Greed, and the Public Domain, 6 Nev. L.J. 447 (2006).

When You Wish Upon Dastar: Creative Provenance and the Lanham Act, 23 Cardozo Arts & Ent. L.J. 197 (2005), reprinted in 38 Intell. Prop. L. Rev. 371 (2006).

A Comparative Study of United States and Japanese Laws on Collaborative Inventions, and the Impact of Those Laws on Technology Transfers, 2005 IIP Bull. 86.

Innovations Palpitations: The Confusing Status of Geographically Misdescriptive Trademarks, 12 J. Intell. Prop. L. 125 (2004).

Something Borrowed, Something New: The Changing Role of Novelty in Idea Protection Law, 34 Seton Hall L. Rev. 485 (2004), reprinted in 37 Intell. Prop. L. Rev. 679 (2005).

Nevada’s Employee Inventions Statute: Novel, Nonobvious, and Patently Wrong, 3 Nev. L.J. 88 (2002).

Authorship and Termination Rights in Sound Recordings, 75 S. Cal. L. Rev. 375 (2002).

Congress TRIPs Over International Law: WTO Finds Unfairness in Music Licensing Act, 11 Depaul-LCA J. Art & Ent. L. & Pol’y 397 (2002).

Authorship, Dominance, and the Captive Collaborator: Preserving the Rights of Joint Authors, 50 Emory L.J. 193 (2001).

Trouble in Transamerica: Deferred Compensation, Contingent Debt, and Overstated Basis, 15 Va. Tax Rev. 685 (1996), reprinted in 47 Monthly Dig. Tax Articles, Aug. 1997, at 37.

Days of Our Lives: The Impact of Section 197 on the Depreciation of Copyrights, Patents and Related Property, 24 Hofstra L. Rev. 317 (1995).

The Separate Tax Status of Loan-Out Corporations, 48 Vand. L. Rev. 879 (1995), reprinted in 46 Monthly Dig. Tax Articles, Mar. 1996, at 1.

Constitutional Implications of Acquisition-Value Real Property Taxation: The Elusive Rational Basis, 1994 Utah L. Rev. 817.

Constitutional Implications of Acquisition-Value Real Property Taxation: Assessing the Burdens on Travel and Commerce, 1994 Utah L. Rev. 1027 (1994).

Installment Method Asset Sales by S Corporations, 39 Am. U. L. Rev. 915 (1990), reprinted in 42 Monthly Dig. Tax Articles, Feb. 1992, at 15, and Tax Notes, May 13, 1991 (with Alan S. Kaden).

Note, Developments Under the Freedom of Information Act—1984, 1985 Duke L.J. 742 (Lisa A. Krupicka).

Commentaries, Essays, and Reviews

New York Right of Publicity Law: Panel Discussion, 36 Cardozo Arts & Ent. L.J. 601 (2018) (with Kevin Goering et al.).

Clearing Rights for Entertainment Projects, Nev. Law., May 2015, at 26.

LaFrance on International Exhaustion of Copyright: The Supreme Court's Decision in Kirtsaeng v. John Wiley & Sons, Inc., 2013 Emerging Issues 6994 (LexisNexis).

LaFrance on Trademark Use and Functionality: Fleischer Studios, Inc. v. A.V.E.L.A., Inc., 2013 Emerging Issues 6866 (LexisNexis).

LaFrance on Whether the First Sale Rule is Limited to Domestically-Made Copies: The Supreme Court's Upcoming Decision in Kirtsaeng v. John Wiley & Sons, Inc., 2012 Emerging Issues 6675 (LexisNexis).

LaFrance on First Amendment Protection for Expressive Works Depicting Trademarks: University of Alabama Bd. of Trustees v. New Life Art, Inc., 2012 Emerging Issues 6548 (LexisNexis).

LaFrance on the Unauthorized Use of Trademarks in Keyword Advertising: Rosetta Stone Ltd. v. Google, Inc., 2012 Emerging Issues 6487 (LexisNexis).

LaFrance on the Ninth Circuit's Interpretation of the DMCA Safe Harbor for User-Generated Content: Viacom Int'l, Inc. v. YouTube, Inc., 2012 Emerging Issues 6470 (LexisNexis).

LaFrance on Prosecuting Patent Applications in District Court after Kappos v. Hyatt, 2012 Emerging Issues 6308 (LexisNexis).

LaFrance on the Supreme Court's Decision to Uphold the Constitutionality of Copyright Restoration: Golan v. Holder, 2012 Emerging Issues 6197 (LexisNexis).

LaFrance on District Court Review of PTO Decisions: A Preview of Kappos v. Hyatt, 2011 Emerging Issues 6044 (LexisNexis).

LaFrance on the Ninth Circuit's Revised Opinion on Character Merchandising: Fleischer Studios, Inc. v. A.V.E.L.A., Inc., 2011 Emerging Issues 5898 (LexisNexis).

LaFrance on the Constitutionality of Copyright Restoration: The Supreme Court's Upcoming Decision in Golan v. Holder, 2011 Emerging Issues 5890 (LexisNexis).

LaFrance on Character Copyrights and the Public Domain: Warner Bros. Entertainment, Inc. v. X One X Prods., 2011 Emerging Issues 5815 (LexisNexis).

LaFrance on Copyright and Trademark Protection for Cartoon Characters: Fleischer Studios, Inc. v. A.V.E.L.A., Inc., 2011 Emerging Issues 5754 (LexisNexis).

LaFrance on Copyright Preemption of Contract Claims Involving Copyrightable Works: Montz v. Pilgrim Films & Television, Inc., 2011 Emerging Issues 5739 (LexisNexis).

LaFrance on Patent Rights in Federally-Funded Inventions by University Employees: Stanford University v. Roche Molecular Sys., Inc., 2011 Emerging Issues 5710 (LexisNexis).

LaFrance on the Supreme Court's Definition of Active Inducement in Patent Infringement: Global-Tech Appliances, Inc. v.& SEB S.A., 2011 Emerging Issues 5695 (LexisNexis).

LaFrance on the First Sale Rule and Ownership Versus Licensing of Music CDs in UMG Recordings, Inc. v Augusto, 2011 Emerging Issues 5508 (LexisNexis).

LaFrance on Copyright and Circumvention Claims Arising from Use of Third Party Software to "Cheat" in Online Games: MDY Indus., LLC v. Blizzard Ent., Inc., 2010 Emerging Issues 5461 (LexisNexis).

LaFrance on Personal Names as Inherently Distinctive Marks, 2010 Emerging Issues 5421 (LexisNexis).

LaFrance on Music Downloads as Reproductions Rather than Public Performances, 2010 Emerging Issues 5365 (LexisNexis).

LaFrance on Distinguishing between Sales and Licenses of Software in Vernor v. Autodesk, 2010 Emerging Issues 5350 (LexisNexis).

LaFrance on Whether the Federal Government is an Owner or an Infringer of the Copyright in War Memorial?, 2010 Emerging Issues 5337 (LexisNexis).

LaFrance on the Construction of Design Patents and the Application of the Ordinary Observer Test in Richardson, 2010 Emerging Issues 5293 (LexisNexis).

 LaFrance on the Demise of the Point-of-Novelty Test for Anticipation of Design Patents: The Federal Circuit Drops the Other Shoe, 2010 Emerging Issues 5287 (LexisNexis).

LaFrance on the Registration of Sound Marks on the Principal Register, 2010 Emerging Issues 4818 (LexisNexis).

LaFrance on Employee Ownership of Federally-Funded Inventions under Stanford University v. Roche Molecular Systems, 2010 Emerging Issues 4809 (LexisNexis).

LaFrance on Right of Publicity and False Endorsement Claims Relating to Artistic Works: Armstrong v. Eagle Rock, 2009 Emerging Issues 4771 (LexisNexis).

LaFrance on the Seventh Circuit's Approach to Joint Authorship in Copyright Law, 2009 Emerging Issues 4520 (LexisNexis).

LaFrance on the Removal of Product Codes from Packaging as a Form of Trademark Infringement, 2009 Emerging Issues 4502 (LexisNexis).

LaFrance on the Unlicensed Merchandising of University Trademarks, 2009 Emerging Issues 3609 (LexisNexis).

LaFrance on the Abandonment of the Point-of-Novelty Test for Design Patent Infringement, 2009 Emerging Issues 3516 (LexisNexis).

LaFrance on Copyright Owner's Privilege to Reproduce Collective Works, 2008 Emerging Issues 2838 (LexisNexis).

LaFrance on Trademark Protection for Abbreviations of Generic Terms, 2008 Emerging Issues 2826 (LexisNexis).

LaFrance on the Supreme Court's Broad Interpretation of Patent Exhaustion in Quanta Computer, Inc., v. LG Electronics, Inc., 2008 Emerging Issues 2401 (LexisNexis).

LaFrance on Enforcement of Contractual Royalty Obligations after Patent Expiration: Zila v. Tinnell, 2008 Emerging Issues 1758 (LexisNexis).

LaFrance on Identifying the Ordinary Observer for Purposes of Determining Design Patent Infringement: Arminak & Assocs., Inc. v. Saint-Gobain Calmar, Inc., 2008 Emerging Issues 1616 (2007) (LexisNexis).

LaFrance on the Availability of Injunctive Relief for Intellectual Property Infringement after eBay, Inc. v. MercExchange, L.L.C., 2008 Emerging Issues 1596 (2007) (LexisNexis).

LaFrance on Software as a “Component” of a Patented Invention under Section 271(f), 2008 Emerging Issues 1299 (2007) (LexisNexis).

LaFrance on In re Beaverton Foods Inc., 2008 Emerging Issues 1298 (2007) (LexisNexis).

Book Review, Patent Medicine: “Innovation & Its Discontents” Diagnoses a Broken System, Mobile Press-Register (January 7, 2007) (reviewing Jaffe & Lerner, Innovation and Its Discontents).

The Study of Intellectual Property at the William S. Boyd School of Law, 65 Chizaiken Forum 71 (2006).

Politics, Gay Rights, and the Light at the End of the Rainbow, 1 Nev. L.J. 441 (2001) (reviewing The Politics of Gay Rights (Craig A. Rimmerman, Kenneth D. Wald & Clyde Wilcox eds., Univ. Chi. Press 2000)).

Book Review, 15 Hastings Comm. & Ent. L.J. 199 (1992) (reviewing Paul A. Baumgarten, Donald C. Farber & Mark Fleischer, Producing, Financing and Distributing Film: A Comprehensive Legal and Business Guide (Limelight Editions 1992)).

Practice Oriented Publications

Recent Developments in Copyright Law: Technology and International Trade Play Starring Roles, Fed. Law., May 2002, at 42.

Defining Marriage: What Ballot Question 2 Doesn’t Do, Nev. Law., Oct. 2002, at 15.

New Laws, New Technology: Copyright Law Struggles with Change, Nev. Law., Jan. 2002, at 15.

Mary LaFrance on the Scholarly Commons