IP and Entertainment Law
CREATIVE PROTECTION FOR THE DIGITAL AGE
At Farzan Fallah Law Corporation, we understand that today’s creative industries move at the speed of digital innovation. Whether you’re a filmmaker, musician, YouTuber, influencer, or production company, your ideas, image, and content are valuable assets — and protecting them requires legal insight that blends creativity with strategy.
Led by Farzan Fallah, a Barrister and Solicitor licensed in both British Columbia and Ontario, our firm provides tailored legal services in entertainment and intellectual property law, helping creators safeguard their rights, structure fair collaborations, and thrive in the online economy.
Our Service
We advise and represent clients across all areas of entertainment and digital media law, including:
• Production and Distribution Agreements
Drafting, reviewing, and negotiating contracts for film, music, and online productions.
• Sponsorships and Brand Collaborations
Structuring influencer and brand-partnership deals, ensuring compliance with advertising and disclosure regulations.
• Copyright and Licensing
Advising on ownership, licensing, and enforcement of creative works, including videos, music, and performances.
• Privacy and Personality Rights
Addressing the legal use of likeness, image, and personal data under Canadian law.
• Platform Compliance and Dispute Resolution
Helping creators navigate YouTube, Instagram, and TikTok policies — and defending their work against unauthorized use.
• Intellectual Property Protection
Registration, enforcement, and defense of copyrights, trademarks, and other IP assets in Canada and internationally.
Who We Represent
Our clients include:
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Independent filmmakers and production teams
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YouTubers, influencers, and podcasters
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Musicians, comedians, and visual artists
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Digital marketing and content agencies
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Cross-border startups and creative entrepreneurs
We are proud to represent a growing network of Iranian-Canadian and international creators, many of whom trust our firm to manage both their creative and business legal needs.
Why Choose Us
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Deep understanding of both creative industries and legal systems
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Dual licensing in Ontario and British Columbia
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Academic background in International and Intellectual Property Law (Osgoode Hall Law School)
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A reputation built entirely on trust and referrals within the creative community
Our approach is practical, transparent, and creator-focused — ensuring your art and business are legally secure as your career evolves.
Film & YouTube Legal Consulting
A strong production needs a clean chain of title, clear rights, and platform-ready deliverables. We support films, series, and creator channels from development to release: drafting and reviewing production, collaboration, talent, and distribution agreements; clearing music, archival footage, artwork, and logos; and packaging the legal materials insurers and distributors expect. In Canada, copyright exists automatically when a work is “fixed,” but registration provides an evidentiary certificate you can rely on in court—a practical advantage when resolving takedowns, disputes, or infringement claims.
We also address the business side of producing: documenting ownership and retention of rights, confirming chain of title, aligning licensing conditions, and preparing for funders, broadcasters, and VOD platforms. Canadian producer guidance emphasizes ownership/retention of IP, chain of title, licensing conditions, financing, tax credits, and co-productions—all of which inform our document checklist and opinion letters.
Case study (YouTube reality series, Canada → global):
We verified chain of title, talent/location releases, and underlying rights, cleared archival/material logos, and delivered a clearance memo suitable for distributor and insurer review. The project was platform-approved with E&O coverage based on a complete title report, clearance package, and distribution-ready agreements.
Music & Event Licensing
Live shows, cultural events, festivals, and online concerts require the right combination of public-performance licenses and contracts. In Canada, SOCAN licenses the public performance and communication of musical works (compositions), and Re:Sound licenses the public performance of sound recordings—many events need both to be compliant. SOCAN issues event and online-concert licenses; Re:Sound covers recorded music in public/broadcast contexts.
We handle the full legal setup for artists and promoters: performance agreements, venue and public-performance permissions, sponsor arrangements, broadcast/streaming addenda, and insurance-aligned terms. We also confirm whether venue licenses cover your planned uses (e.g., live-stream or rebroadcast), and we document usage reporting so royalty obligations are met and the event can be safely monetized and repurposed.
Case study (Persian cultural concert, Vancouver):
We secured SOCAN and Re:Sound licenses, drafted artist performance/appearance agreements (including exclusivity, recording, and merch rights), and aligned sponsor visibility with licensing and insurance requirements—allowing smooth on-site operations and compliant post-event media use.
Influencer &
Sponsorship Agreement
Transparent, well-structured agreements protect the creator’s reputation and the brand’s campaign goals. We draft and negotiate collaboration, usage, and licensing terms tailored to the platforms and media you use—defining deliverables, approvals, IP ownership, usage scope (territories, duration, paid media/whitelisting), compensation, and termination. In Canada, influencer content must clearly disclose any “material connection” (payment, gifts, affiliate links) and the disclosure must be clear, prominent, and visible without extra clicks—requirements reflected in our contract templates and campaign checklists.
We also build compliance into the workflow: standardized captions/labels, platform-specific placements, and contingency plans when posts need edits or takedowns. Our approach follows recent guidance reminding advertisers, agencies, and influencers that responsibility for proper disclosure is shared, and that vague or buried disclosures can trigger enforcement risk.
Case study (lifestyle & beauty campaigns, Canada):
We negotiated creator–brand agreements with explicit disclosure language, IP/usage allocations (including whitelisting and paid amplification), and region-specific rights (CA/US/EU). Campaigns launched with clear expectations, compliant disclosures, and low enforcement risk.
Intellectual Property Protection (CIPO / WIPO)
Your brand and creative assets travel across borders—your protection should too. In Canada, we file and prosecute trademarks and manage copyright registrations through CIPO. For multi-country protection, we use WIPO’s Madrid System to extend your trademark to many jurisdictions from a single international application (after filing a Canadian “basic mark”). We guide clearance searches, Nice classification, filings, examiner responses, oppositions, renewals, and portfolio strategy.
The Madrid System is designed to be convenient and cost-effective: one application, one set of fees, centralized renewals, and the ability to later add countries as you expand. Each designated country examines the mark under its own law within fixed timelines (often 12–18 months), which we track and manage. Copyright registration in Canada provides evidence of ownership—useful in enforcement and licensing.
Case study (media startup, Canada → international):
We ran a clearance search, filed a Canadian trademark, and then designated priority markets under the Madrid System. We coordinated domain and handle strategy and set monitoring/enforcement. Result: recognized rights in Canada with a scalable path to global brand protection.
Insurance & E&O Clearance
Distributors and platforms typically require Errors & Omissions (E&O) insurance before release. Underwriters expect a clearance report, and when title coverage is requested, a Title Report & Opinion from a recognized provider. E&O focuses on content-related claims such as defamation, privacy, right of publicity, and IP infringement—not general contractual disputes—so a thorough legal review and paper trail are essential. We prepare title clearance, chain-of-title matrices, releases, music/footage licenses, and privacy/defamation assessments that align with insurer checklists and distributor deliverables.
For projects seeking public funds or broadcaster certification, Canada’s film institutions may require an independent chain-of-title legal opinion and insurance standards appropriate to the production. Our opinions and schedules meet contemporary expectations from Canadian funders and financiers, helping productions close financing and move to delivery without legal delays.
Case study (bilingual film, Canada → YouTube):
We delivered a full clearance package (title search & opinion, ownership confirmations, talent/location releases, archival/music licensing, privacy/defamation review) mapped to E&O underwriting and platform deliverables. The film obtained E&O approval and released globally.
IP Licensing Certificate
