Donald S. Zakarin, partner and chair of Pryor Cashman's Litigation Group, was quoted in the Hollywood Reporter article, "EMI Sued in Foreign Royalties Dispute With Monkees Songwriter."

The lawsuit, filed by Stephanie Ford Stewart, alleges that EMI Music Publishing cheated her late husband, songwriter John Stewart, out of royalties on foreign sales of The Monkees’ hit “Daydream Believer.” She's suing for breach of good faith and fair dealing as well as violations of California's Unfair Competition Law, and demanding $450,000 in damages on top of the unpaid royalties she claims she's owed.

Donald Zakarin, who has frequently represented EMI, including successfully refuting a similar lawsuit brought by the family of Duke Ellington, told the Hollywood Reporter that the publisher's argument will hold up in the same way. "Every case that has addressed foreign sub-publishing has gone and said, 'yes, foreign sub-publishers are entitled to the foreign sub-publishing fees.' These are agreements that have been in place for decades. EMI has not changed these agreements; it’s not deprived the writer of a penny."

To read the article in its entirety, please click here.