Zala IP Law LLC - Intellectual Property and Entertainment Law

Zala IP Law LLC - Intellectual Property and Entertainment Law Zala IP Law LLC is a trusted intellectual property law firm that proudly serves clients throughout New York. Contact us today to see how we can help.

At Zala IP Law LLC, we believe your ideas, creative work, and brand are more than just concepts, they’re valuable assets worth protecting. Our mission is simple, to help creators, entrepreneurs, and businesses protect what they’ve built with clarity, care, and confidence. We focus on intellectual property law, including trademarks, copyright protection, IP licensing, and creative and business cont

racts. Whether you’re launching a brand, releasing original work, or navigating a licensing opportunity, we help make sure your rights are protected and your future stays in your control. The firm is led by Shreepal “Shreeps” J. Zala, an intellectual property attorney with a deep, real world understanding of the creative process. Before practicing law, Shreeps spent over a decade working in the creative and entertainment industries as a musician, producer, and entrepreneur. That background allows him to understand not just the legal side of IP, but the human side, how ideas are created, shared, and turned into something meaningful. Our approach is personal, thoughtful, and strategic. Clients work directly with their attorney, receive clear explanations, and are guided through decisions with empathy and transparency. We understand that legal questions often come at important and sometimes stressful moments, and we take pride in creating a space where clients feel heard, supported, and respected. What sets Zala IP Law apart is the balance between legal precision and real world insight. We don’t believe in one size fits all solutions. Every client, every project, and every creative work is treated with care and attention, so protection aligns with how your work is actually used and where you want to take it next. If you’re building something meaningful and want to protect it the right way, we’re here to help. Reach out to start a conversation and see how we can support you.

06/17/2026

The Justice Department just greenlit one of the biggest media deals in history, and it could change Hollywood forever.

Paramount has been approved to move forward with a 111 billion dolar takeover of Warner Brothers, and the decision is raising serious questions about how this review was actually conducted.

If this deal goes through, Paramount would become the largest theatrical distributor in the country, a top five streaming company, and a major player in the news world with control over CNN, CBS, and CBS local affiliates.

That last piece is especially significant. It would give the current administration a direct line of influence over national news coverage, something many believe should never be tied so closely to political power.

Several attorneys general are now preparing lawsuits, and a separate consumer lawsuit is also taking shape, arguing that the merger violates antitrust laws. The DOJ is arguing the opposite, claiming it actually promotes competition, which is a difficult position to justify given the scope of the deal.

Paramount is hoping to close everything by the end of July. If the merger is finalized, the ripple effects will reach far beyond corporate boardrooms.

It will mean fewer studios competing for projects, fewer opportunities for producers, filmmakers, and musicians, and a continued shift toward an indie distribution model as the industry adapts to consolidation at the top.

For independent creators, this is the moment to start thinking strategically. Strong contracts, strong ownership of your work, and a clear understanding of your rights matter more than ever in a market that is shrinking at the top and expanding at the edges.

Your mind is your property. Follow for more.

06/16/2026

What happens if you do not have a songwriting split sheet? The answer might surprise you, and it can completely change how royalties from your song are paid.

Under US copyright law, when there is no signed split sheet in place, the copyright is automatically divided evenly among all the writers involved.

That means if there are two writers, it is a 50 50 split. If there are three writers, each one gets 33 percent. Four writers, 25 percent each. Five writers, 20 percent each, and so on.

This default split happens whether or not it reflects the true contribution each writer made to the song. Once the song is released, untangling that ownership becomes incredibly difficult.

That is exactly why a songwriting split sheet is so important. It is a simple document that allows every collaborator to agree on the exact ownership percentages before the song goes public.

Taking those few extra minutes to fill it out and have everyone sign it can save years of confusion, frustration, and lost income later on.

If you are creating music with others, protect your work, your creativity, and your future earnings by getting your split sheets in order before release day.

Your mind is your property. Follow for more.

06/12/2026

Colorado just made history with the first business structure designed specifically for artists and creative partnerships.

It is called the ACorp, or Artist Corporation, and it could change the way creatives build, protect, and grow their work.

At its core, the ACorp offers the same liability protection as an LLC, which is already a strong foundation. But what makes it truly groundbreaking are the artist focused guarantees built directly into the structure.

The first guarantee is ownership protection. No matter how the partnership evolves, at least 51 percent of the ACorp must remain in the hands of the creative partners.

That means even if you bring on a third party investor or a production company, they can never become the majority owner. Creative control stays with the creators.

The second guarantee is automatic reversion rights. In most traditional partnerships, when a member leaves, the intellectual property they created stays behind with the company. Many artists only discover this when it is too late.

Under the ACorp, that flips. If you leave the partnership, the intellectual property you created flows with you. No extra paperwork required.

Governor Jared Polis officially signed this into law, and it goes into effect this August. The best part is that you do not have to live in Colorado to take advantage of it.

Artists, creators, and creative founders from anywhere in the country can use this structure to build smarter, safer, and more empowering partnerships.

If you create at the intersection of art, business, or technology, this is one of the most important legal developments of the year.

06/11/2026

What is the difference between a PRO and a publishing company? It is one of the most common questions in the music industry, and the distinction matters more than most artists realize.

A PRO, or performing rights organization, is responsible for collecting publishing royalties tied to your music compositions. That is their primary role.

A publishing company, on the other hand, plays a much more active part. Their job is to actually pitch and place your work in opportunities that generate publishing income.

In other words, a PRO is largely passive. It collects what you have already earned from performances, streams, and broadcasts.

A publishing company is proactive. Through a publishing deal, they work to monetize and exploit your music by finding new opportunities for it to be placed, licensed, and profited from.

Both can play a powerful role in your music career, but they serve very different purposes. Understanding that difference is the first step in building a strategy that truly works for you.

Your mind is your property, file for more music publishing FAQs.

Music copyright disputes almost always happen the same way, when the conversations come too late.Friendship and studio c...
06/11/2026

Music copyright disputes almost always happen the same way, when the conversations come too late.

Friendship and studio chemistry are powerful, but they do not hold up in court. When a song starts generating real money, the only things that matter are intent to create joint authorship and what is actually in writing.

Co-writer disputes are far more common than people think. They happen with brand new collaborators and ten year creative partnerships.

The pattern is almost always the same. A track gets traction or the group falls apart, and suddenly everyone remembers their role a little differently.

The fix is simple. A one page agreement signed the same day as the session can prevent years of conflict later.

Oral splits become nearly impossible to enforce once money enters the picture. Whether you split evenly, weight contributions, or decide project by project, document it early and sign it.

It is also important to address publishing rights. Owning a share of the song is not the same as controlling its publishing, and whoever controls publishing controls licensing decisions.

Credits must match across the board. Your split sheet, your agreement, and your royalty registrations all need to say the same thing, or a simple clerical mismatch can cost you years of income.

There is also the joint authorship default to consider. When your agreement is silent, U.S. copyright law fills in the gaps, and any co-writer can grant a non exclusive license without the others' consent, as long as profits are accounted for.

If a co-writer ever signs with a major publisher, their approval rights often transfer to that publisher, which can completely change how your music gets licensed. An assignment provision drafted at the start costs almost nothing. Adding one later can be nearly impossible.

The truth is, the awkward ten minute conversation before a session is what saves you from years of disputes and legal costs after one.

06/10/2026

Val Kilmer is starring in a new film coming out this June, but here is the twist, Kilmer passed away in April 2025 after his long battle with throat cancer.

The film, As Deep as the Grave, brings his performance back to life through AI, using archival footage and recordings with the full blessing of his estate.

What makes this so significant is how it was done. The filmmakers followed every SAG AFTRA guideline, secured permission from his children, and ensured that Kilmer's estate was fairly compensated for his posthumous performance.

Before his passing, Kilmer was part of a vanguard of actors actively working with pioneering companies like 11 Lab Studios to explore how to license their names, images, and likenesses for use after death.

His daughter shared that this use truly honors her father's spirit, noting that he wanted to be part of both the role and the precedent it sets.

This case shows what posthumous licensing can look like when it is done the right way, with care, consent, and proper compensation.

It also raises important questions for the future of the industry. What about actors who passed away before AI made this possible? What about the ownership rights tied to a person's likeness across new technology?

These are the questions that will shape entertainment law for decades to come, and Kilmer's estate has set a powerful precedent for how it can be handled with integrity.

Industry customs like this often become the foundation for how courts enforce agreements as the law catches up with new technology.

06/09/2026

How do you know if your work is actually a derivative work? It is one of the most common questions in copyright law, and the answer is not always black and white.

By definition, a derivative work is created when you use an element from one or more preexisting works in something new of your own.

Sometimes the answer is easy. Fan fiction is a clear example. If you are borrowing a character or a recognizable storyline, you are almost certainly creating a derivative work.

Other times, the line is much harder to see. When the copyright is thin or the borrowing is minimal, the situation becomes gray and open to interpretation.

In those cases, the best move is to consult a copyright attorney who can give you a clear analysis based on your specific work.

But here is the approach I always recommend, take the conservative path. If you are borrowing from another work, assume it is a derivative work unless you can clearly explain why it is not or why your use qualifies as fair use.

Why does that matter? Because the consequences can be unpredictable. They depend on the scope of the borrowing and the copyright owner's willingness to enforce their rights, which often comes down to how much revenue is involved.

Protecting yourself starts with awareness. Knowing what counts as a derivative work, when permission is required, and when fair use may apply can save you from major legal trouble down the road.

Your mind is your property, file for more.

06/08/2026

Kanye West just got hit with a nearly 440,000 dollar bill for using an unlicensed sample, and the twist might surprise you.

The sample was tied to his song Hurricane from the 2021 album Donda, but here is the catch. That sample never actually appeared on the final album.

Instead, it was used during his album release show, which was anything but a small event.

The performance took place at a sold out Mercedes Benz Stadium with 40,000 fans in attendance, plus merch sales and a livestream that reached millions on Apple.

That kind of reach changes everything legally. Even a one off live performance can trigger reproduction rights when there is significant revenue involved.

In other words, just because a sample is only used once does not mean a copyright owner cannot still bring a claim for damages.

This case is a powerful reminder that licensing matters at every stage, whether the work appears on a final release, in a music video, or during a live show.

For artists, producers, and creators, clearing your samples is never optional. It is the difference between a successful project and a major legal setback.

If you create music or use samples in your work, take the time to do it the right way and protect everything you have built.

06/05/2026

Brand Deal Tip #8: Record everything!

Make sure you have documentation of every conversation. If a deal, promise, or key decision happens out loud, follow up with a message or email to get something in writing.

Memories fade and stories change. Documentation doesn't.

Unsure about a contract you're about to sign or want to make sure your IP is protected? Reach out through our website or call today.

06/04/2026

New York just introduced rules for the use of synthetic AI models starting June 9th, and most brands have no idea.

If you use an AI-generated model or a synthetic likeness in your ads, you now have to disclose it clearly.

Skip the disclosure and you're exposed to penalties, not just a slap on the wrist. We're talking real fines and liability that can stack up fast across a campaign.

IP law is moving faster than most businesses can keep up with. If you're not sure where your brand stands, reach out today via the website or call the number in the bio.

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