Biography
Judge Taylor has overseen numerous entertainment-related disputes throughout his career as a federal judge in the Central District of California and as a full-time neutral. He has wide experience addressing profit participation, contract interpretation, copyright, trademark, unfair competition, and right of publicity issues in the film, music, and online industries. He is also well-versed in resolving sensitive disputes between high-profile parties.
Representative Matters
- Multi-million-dollar compensation dispute between Academy Award-winning actor and major studio over Academy Award-winning best motion picture
- Contract dispute between top-rated vocal talent elimination television series and network over creative control
- Adjudicated dispute over logo rights from “The Incredibles”
- Appeal in shortfall reimbursement dispute over Japanese distribution of film
- Breach of fiduciary duty claims against entertainment industry guild pension managers for over-hiring consultants and arranging kickbacks
- Celebrity claiming greeting card company misappropriated her likeness
- Challenge to district court judgment involving motion picture financing
- Cross-claims over finances and management of Canadian theaters and Broadway tours
- Dispute between competing radio outlets over employment of high-profile radio personality
- Dispute involving asset purchase agreement for world-recognized online gaming entertainment brand
- Dispute over name ownership of world-famous “boy band”
- Disputed profit participation audit following worldwide distribution of motion picture
- Disputes involving website designs
- Disputes over rights to Milton Green photograph archive of Marilyn Monroe
- In forefront of developing legal doctrine of “fair use.” See reported cases of Newport-Mesa Unified School District v. State of California, 371 F.Supp.2d 1170 (C.D. Cal., 2005), copyright “fair use” of school’s test protocol for Individualized Education Plan; Kelly v. Arriba Soft Corp., 77 F.Supp.2d 1116 (C.D. Cal., 1999), aff’d in part, rev’d in part, 336 F.3d 811 (9th Cir. 2003), copyright “fair use” of Internet search engine’s use of copyrighted pictures rendered as thumbnail images
- Major League Baseball team contract and name dispute with city leasor
- Matters between recording industry competitors in music rights
- National Football League’s player endorsement restriction concerning companies with performance-enhancing products
- Ownership rights of website names and access
- Story rights to major British motion picture
- Fellow, American College of Trial Lawyers
- Named as one of the “500 Leading Judges in America,” by Lawdragon Magazine, 2005
- Alumni of the Year Award for public and community service, UCLA Law School, 1999
- Franklin G. West Award for lifetime achievement, Orange County Bar Association, 1998
- Board of Directors/Judicial Council, Constitutional Rights Foundation, Orange, County, 1990-2003
- Board of Governors, Association of Business Trial Lawyers, Orange County, 1998-2002
- Member, State Bar of California, Orange County Bar Association
- Frequent author and speaker for continuing legal education, bar, and professional organizations
- Received detailed training in CLE workshop "Net Profits and New Media: The Future of Entertainment Litigation"
- "Renowned Ref: Neutral Gary Taylor handles arbitrations and mediations across Southern California," ADR Profile, Daily Journal, December 11, 2015.
- Judge, U.S. District Court, Central District of California, 1990-2005
- Judge, Orange County Superior Court, 1986-1990
- Business Litigation Partner, Wenke, Taylor, Evans & Ikola, Orange County, 1966-1986
- Captain, U.S. Army, Judge Advocate General’s Corps, 1964-1966
- J.D., UCLA Law School, 1963
- A.B., University of California Los Angeles (UCLA), 1960
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- Arbitration
- Business/Commercial
- Class Action
- Cybersecurity & Privacy
- Employment
- Entertainment and Sports
- Federal Judge
- Intellectual Property
- Real Property
- Securities
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