Vetter v. Resnik Could Turn The Music Biz On Its Ear – Hear From The Lawyer Who Won The Appeal

Vetter v. Resnik Could Turn The Music Biz On Its Ear – Hear From The Lawyer Who Won The Appeal

From The Music Law Beat by Beverly Hills Bar Association

January 27, 2026 · 1h 24m · Season 1 · Episode 7

About this episode

Tim Kappel discusses a landmark appeal that could change copyright ownership dynamics in the music industry.

In this episode, Tim Kappel of Wells Kappel – who just won a landmark appeal in the Fifth Circuit that could shift worldwide ownership of copyrights from music companies back to songwriters and recording artists – talks with MLB host Bill Hochberg of Raines and guest Rami Yanni, an IP and entertainment attorney at Raines and adjunct law professor at USC. No case has ever found that copyright termination and reversion rights apply outside the U.S., until now. More cases may follow on the trail Kappel has blazed in the Fifth. It's a spirited, practical and philosophical deep dive, where the trio unpack key concepts, including the “single copyright” theory, national treatment regarding ownership and infringement claims, publisher and songwriter leverage in renegotiations, and practical strategies for structuring rights recapture in today’s global market. Whether you’re a creator, music company, investor, or dealmaker, this cutting edge episode offers actionable insight into evolving rights, risk, and value in music contracts. Presented by Raines.

People in this episode

Host: Bill Hochberg

Guest: Rami Yanni

Topics covered

  • copyright
  • music industry
  • intellectual property
  • songwriter rights
  • contract negotiation

Keywords

  • Fifth Circuit
  • copyright termination
  • reversion rights
  • single copyright theory
  • national treatment

Sponsors

Raines

Mentioned in this episode

Places: U.S.

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