▲蘇狀師談律師執業過失（一）
在美國加州，律師若不知道在何法院對一個未持有經紀人執照之人起訴進而導致時效完成，你可能會賠到只剩一條褲子。
系爭事件為藝人對律師起訴；背景事實為藝人發現其經紀人未持有藝人經紀人執照而擔任藝人經紀人（在加州有些藝人經紀核心業務必須由持有執照之經紀人處理；未持有執照不得擔任藝人經紀人來處理所謂的核心業務），要求其返還受任期間之報酬，於是委任律師對經紀人提告。而在加州，藝人與經紀人報酬爭議要先向加州勞工委員會提起救濟（此為訴訟前置程序）；惟該律師漏未注意，先向法院起訴；嗣發現後再向勞工委員長提起救濟，但因救濟時效屆滿遭駁回，致藝人無法向經紀人請求；藝人遂轉向律師求償。
Introduction 簡介
Imagine an unlicensed talent agent who provides services to an artist. The artist, who discovers that the talent agent was required to be licensed to provide such services, hires an attorney to sue the talent agent for return of commissions paid to the talent agent. The attorney files the lawsuit in a local state court prior to the lapse of the statute of limitations for such claim. Later the attorney discovers a petition should have been filed with the Labor Commissioner, which has exclusive jurisdiction over unlicensed talent agent cases, and the attorney corrects his error after the statute of limitations has lapsed. The artist is denied recovery and sues his attorney for malpractice. The artist is awarded $10.5 million in compensatory damages and an additional $15 million in punitive damages. True story? It may be in California.
How Does California Regulate Talent Agents?加州如何規範藝人經紀人
肇因於加州係電影與唱片之重鎮，加州立法當局關切娛樂業界藝人之福利，於是乎加州勞動法於第1700 至1700.47項做了一些規定，此俗稱為藝人經紀法（Talent Agencies Act；TAA），是全美最嚴格的藝人經紀法。依據該法，任何自然人或法人受雇於藝人而為其招攬工作或於受雇期間為其締結契約，會被認為是藝人經紀業務，該等行為係需要經紀人執照方得為之；同時藝人經紀業務受相當多州法令之規制 ，包括需明確記載於簿冊、簿冊須受到檢視、佣金比例甚至所訂契約都要提交勞工委員長許可。藝人的定義是非常廣泛的；包括演員、廣播及音樂從業人員、導演、作家、電影攝影師、作曲人，模特兒與其他於電影、劇場、廣播、電視、其他娛樂產業提供專技之人。
Due to the large number of major film and record companies based in California and the California legislature’s historic concern for the welfare of the artists in those industries, California’s Talent Agencies Act (“TAA”), found in California Labor Code Sections 1700 through 1700.47, is one of the country’s most restrictive talent agency acts. Under the TAA, any person or company engaging in the work of procuring employment or engagements for an “artist” is considered a “talent agency” and is required to be licensed by the California Labor Commissioner and subject to fairly extensive state regulations,including maintaining accurate records, having the records subject to inspection, and submitting commission rates and even forms of contract for approval by the Labor Commissioner. “Artist” is defined very broadly to include actors, radio and musical artists, directors, writers, cinematographers composers, models, and other persons rendering professional services in motion picture, theatrical, radio, television and other entertainment enterprises.
在美國加州，律師若不知道在何法院對一個未持有經紀人執照之人起訴進而導致時效完成，你可能會賠到只剩一條褲子。
系爭事件為藝人對律師起訴；背景事實為藝人發現其經紀人未持有藝人經紀人執照而擔任藝人經紀人（在加州有些藝人經紀核心業務必須由持有執照之經紀人處理；未持有執照不得擔任藝人經紀人來處理所謂的核心業務），要求其返還受任期間之報酬，於是委任律師對經紀人提告。而在加州，藝人與經紀人報酬爭議要先向加州勞工委員會提起救濟（此為訴訟前置程序）；惟該律師漏未注意，先向法院起訴；嗣發現後再向勞工委員長提起救濟，但因救濟時效屆滿遭駁回，致藝人無法向經紀人請求；藝人遂轉向律師求償。
Introduction 簡介
Imagine an unlicensed talent agent who provides services to an artist. The artist, who discovers that the talent agent was required to be licensed to provide such services, hires an attorney to sue the talent agent for return of commissions paid to the talent agent. The attorney files the lawsuit in a local state court prior to the lapse of the statute of limitations for such claim. Later the attorney discovers a petition should have been filed with the Labor Commissioner, which has exclusive jurisdiction over unlicensed talent agent cases, and the attorney corrects his error after the statute of limitations has lapsed. The artist is denied recovery and sues his attorney for malpractice. The artist is awarded $10.5 million in compensatory damages and an additional $15 million in punitive damages. True story? It may be in California.
How Does California Regulate Talent Agents?加州如何規範藝人經紀人
肇因於加州係電影與唱片之重鎮，加州立法當局關切娛樂業界藝人之福利，於是乎加州勞動法於第1700 至1700.47項做了一些規定，此俗稱為藝人經紀法（Talent Agencies Act；TAA），是全美最嚴格的藝人經紀法。依據該法，任何自然人或法人受雇於藝人而為其招攬工作或於受雇期間為其締結契約，會被認為是藝人經紀業務，該等行為係需要經紀人執照方得為之；同時藝人經紀業務受相當多州法令之規制 ，包括需明確記載於簿冊、簿冊須受到檢視、佣金比例甚至所訂契約都要提交勞工委員長許可。藝人的定義是非常廣泛的；包括演員、廣播及音樂從業人員、導演、作家、電影攝影師、作曲人，模特兒與其他於電影、劇場、廣播、電視、其他娛樂產業提供專技之人。
Due to the large number of major film and record companies based in California and the California legislature’s historic concern for the welfare of the artists in those industries, California’s Talent Agencies Act (“TAA”), found in California Labor Code Sections 1700 through 1700.47, is one of the country’s most restrictive talent agency acts. Under the TAA, any person or company engaging in the work of procuring employment or engagements for an “artist” is considered a “talent agency” and is required to be licensed by the California Labor Commissioner and subject to fairly extensive state regulations,including maintaining accurate records, having the records subject to inspection, and submitting commission rates and even forms of contract for approval by the Labor Commissioner. “Artist” is defined very broadly to include actors, radio and musical artists, directors, writers, cinematographers composers, models, and other persons rendering professional services in motion picture, theatrical, radio, television and other entertainment enterprises.
