Kelly Klaus Named Top IP Lawyers by the Daily Journal

Munger, Tolles & Olson attorney Kelly Klaus has once again been named among the Top IP Litigators in California by the Daily Journal on April 21, 2021. The award recognizes 75 of California’s leading patent, trademark and copyright attorneys.

Mr. Klaus was noted for his role representing Walt Disney Co. and Warner Bros. in one of the Studios’ highest-profile litigation matters in recent years. In June 2019, a jury in federal court awarded the Studios statutory damages of $62.4 million on account of VidAngel’s infringement of the studios’ movies and unlawful circumvention in violation of the Digital Millennium Copyright Act. VidAngel filed for bankruptcy. In 2020, Mr. Klaus and his colleagues brought the matter to final resolution, which included VidAngel agreeing never again to use the Studios’ works without authorization.

The profile also recognized Mr. Klaus and his colleagues for obtaining a stipulated $40 million judgement and permanent injunction for the major Studios against a streaming service that pirated on-demand and live broadcasts. The publication also highlighted Mr. Klaus’s work representing Disney and Paramount in a lawsuit alleging copyright infringement based on a third-party vendor’s use of “facial motion capture” software in the process of developing certain animated characters.

Kelly Klaus is a litigation partner in the San Francisco and Los Angeles offices of Munger, Tolles & Olson. His practice focuses on copyright and related litigation on matters of critical importance to the entertainment industries.