Mona Simonian

Representing clients in trial and appellate courts, Mona focuses on intellectual property and contractual disputes for clients in the music, entertainment, and fashion industries, including major music publishing and record companies, as well as individual artists and content creators on issues including copyright ownership, co-authorship, infringement, publishing and royalty disputes, licensing disputes, and disputes concerning emerging issues surrounding digital media and technology. Mona has also represented fashion designers and companies in copyright, trademark, and trade dress matters. Her practice is rounded out with significant experience in complex commercial litigations including real estate disputes, shareholder and LLC member disputes, and fraud and tort claims for U.S. and foreign-based clients from a broad cross-section of industries.

Mona has achieved litigation victories and favorable outcomes for her clients, including:

• Numerous well-known recording artists and major record labels against meritless copyright infringement claims and copyright trolls.
• The Phonorecords IV CRB proceedings to determine royalty rates and terms for the Section 115 compulsory license for interactive streaming and limited downloading.
• A well-known music producer in an action to enforce and protect the producer’s trademark rights.
• Music publishing plaintiffs in obtaining a multimillion-dollar jury verdict for willful copyright infringement in Capitol Records, Inc., et al. v. MP3tunes, LLC, et al.
• Two well-known songwriters in achieving complete dismissal of co-authorship and copyright ownership claims at trial.

Keeping Clients Ahead of the Curve

Mona stays abreast of issues facing the entertainment, art, and fashion industries and proactively advises clients on trends that may impact their IP portfolios and operations. A keen observer of digital media developments and the latest rulings in that area, she helps music industry clients navigate complex copyright laws and protect their investments.