COPYRIGHTSCopyright law has always interested me because of my own attraction to culture, arts, literature, architecture, design, etc.
I learned Copyright law in the late 80’s, as a result of trying to answer my clients’ questions, especially in the movie and advertising world.
I had the opportunity to plead two landmark cases which have been widely publicized : 1. the court case Frédéric Flamand has filed against Maurice Béjart, about the unauthorized adaptation of a ballet scene (in which a naked Icarus crossed the stage, walking on television sets), and 2. the Police uniforms case (Cortina vs Belgian State) which gave justice to an author facing the Minister of Interior affairs, in charge of the police, about the allocation of a public contract concerning the design of the new Police uniforms.
More recently, a court case about the architectural paternity of an iconic office building, opposed a very talented architect in front of the biggest Belgian architectural firm. It led to a publication in the press although it ended fortunately with a settlement.
These few mediatized cases should not make one forget the majority of cases which either, have not been brought to Court
These few mediatized cases should not make one forget the majority of cases which either, have not been brought to Court because a settlement took place beforehand, or because my task was only that of a solicitor : to give a legal opinion, write a contract, or give advice, on all sorts of professions : from comics to architecture, design, literature, applied arts, singing, cinema, advertisement, fashion, sculpture, ceramic, and many more.
As professor of copyright law in La Cambre, a graduate and post-graduate school for the arts (ESA) in Brussels, since 1995, I have had the opportunity to refine the material and make it more understandable.
I am constantly keeping myself up to date with the laws, rules and court cases, in Belgium, France, and more and more at the European level. It has been more practical than theorical: I have only written one doctrine article, see hereunder, in 2009.
The authors, the arts, the creativity itself, remain subjects of great introspection, admiration, and amazement to me.
The field continues to be of great interest to me. The authors, the arts, the creativity itself, remain subjects of great introspection, admiration, and amazement to me.