Sean Healy, Amy Levine Beat Music Contract Dispute

March 02, 2017

Phoenix Partner Sean Healy and Associate Amy Levine recently obtained the dismissal with prejudice of a lawsuit accusing the board of directors for a California choir organization upon which "Glee" was premised of intentional interference with various musical contracts.

Phoenix Partner Sean Healy and Associate Amy Levine recently obtained the dismissal with prejudice of a lawsuit accusing the board of directors for a California choir organization of intentional interference with various musical contracts.

An Arizona-based copyright licensing company sued the board of directors of the organization — which acted as the booster club for a nationally renowned choir upon which the TV show “Glee” was premised — for allegedly failing to obtain copyright licenses through the licensing company. As a result, the licensing company alleged that it did not earn fees that it otherwise would have received from the licensing.

We filed a motion to dismiss on several grounds, including lack of personal jurisdiction, failure to state a claim, and immunity under state and federal volunteer protection statutes.

The court granted the motion to dismiss, holding that there was no personal jurisdiction over the board because no minimum contacts existed with Arizona.