Legal Issues for Publishers & Writers


Special September Event:
Legal Issues for Publishers & Writers
  with Jonathan Kirsch

Jonathan KirschMonday, September 23, 2019 
7:30 to 9:15 p.m. (networking follows the program)
TheWGroup members – free
Non-members – $15

This panel has passed but we plan to soon have a recording for sale for you.


Are you up to date on the profound changes that are taking place in the publishing industry and what they mean for your publishing business or the books you write? Recent cases, new laws, and sweeping changes in book publishing technology present special challenges to publishers and may mean that your existing contract forms and business practices are out of date.

Jonathan Kirsch Q&A at our writer's group

Also, do you know when an item falls under the “fair use” exception? And when exactly do you need to get permission or is having an endnote sufficient?

We are thrilled that one of the most respected experts in publishing law, Jonathan Kirsch, will cover these legal issues of vital importance to publishers as well as take your questions.

It was an excellent talk. Jonathan talked about Fair Use, disguising people in memoir & the pitfalls (gave a few anecdotes), copyright, and AB5, a new law passed in CA. ~K

Our Speaker: Jonathan Kirsch

Jonathan Kirsch

Jonathan Kirsch

Jonathan Kirsch is a publishing and intellectual property attorney based in Los Angeles.

He is also an expert witness on publishing industry matters, an adjunct professor on the faculty of New York University’s Professional Publishing Institute, book editor of The Jewish Journal, and the author of thirteen books, including The Short, Strange Life of Herschel Grynszpan: A Boy Avenger, a Nazi Diplomat and a Murder in Paris (W.W. Norton/Liveright).

Jonathan specializes in publishing law and copyright, trademark, and other intellectual property matters.

His clients include book, magazine, newspaper, audio, video, and electronic publishers; authors; agents; distributors; designers; and artists and photographers, among other publishing industry businesses and professionals.

Jonathan is the author of two leading reference works on publishing law, Kirsch’s Handbook of Publishing Law for Authors, Publishers, Editors and Agents (Acrobat Books) and Kirsch’s Guide to the Book Contract for Authors, Publishers, Editors and Agents, which have been revised and updated for publication in a single volume by Silman-James Press

You can learn more about Jonathan and his books at JonathanKirsch.com.