With ACS:Law And MediaCAT Shutting Down, What Does It Mean For US Copyright Group?

from the brothers-in-arms dept

Mon, Feb 7th 2011 2:52pm — Mike Masnick

ACS:Law wasn't the first law firm to try the "send tons of 'pre-settlement' letters to people we accuse of file sharing in hopes they just pay up," business model. In fact, ACS:Law got all of its initial paperwork from another law firm, Davenport Lyons, who was trying to get out of that business. However, ACS:Law was the firm that really got much of the attention over the past few years. Just about a year ago, that business model finally jumped to the US, initially from an outfit called US Copyright Group, which was really an operation run by a tiny DC law firm called Dunlap, Grubb and Weaver along with an online monitoring company. However, with the latest news that ACS:Law and its online monitoring company MediaCAT have completely gone out of business -- perhaps in a weak attempt to avoid sanctions for their disastrous attempt to finally bring some cases to court, it makes me wonder if this is a precursor of things to come for US Copyright Group/DGW. It certainly looks like DGW has been a bit more careful with its strategy than ACS:Law (where it really seemed like Andrew Crossley got in way over his head), but it certainly should be a warning sign to all those law firms who think this sort of shakedown play is easy money.

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Filed Under: pre-settlement, uk, us
Companies: acs:law, dunlap grubb & weaver, mediacat, us copyright group

13 Comments

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TheOtherAnonymous, 7 Feb 2011 @ 3:09pm

Remember DirecTV ...
Remember, DirecTV tried this scheme years ago in the U.S., suing first the companies that sold SmartCard equipment and then using the customer lists to send "pre-settlement" letters to everyone who had bought a SmartCard writer. As I remember, the courts eventually told DirecTV to cut it out.
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average_joe (profile), 7 Feb 2011 @ 3:14pm

USCG just filed a suit last Friday against 6,500 Does. I think that's a new record. http://www.rfcexpress.com/lawsuit.asp?id=70738
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average_joe (profile), 7 Feb 2011 @ 3:17pm

Re:
*I meant record for USCG. I believe the all time record for number of Does in one p2p suit is 9,729: http://archive.recapthelaw.org/wvnd/26747/
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Anonymous Coward, 7 Feb 2011 @ 6:32pm

Re:
Hmmm...to low a number, ACSLaw was getting 20K names per month.
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average_joe (profile), 7 Feb 2011 @ 7:33pm

Re: Re:
I haven't been following things outside the U.S., but that is very interesting. Thanks.
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mike allen (profile), 8 Feb 2011 @ 12:50am

It failed in the UK because people here have a hatred for authority figures and for extortionists especially in the currant climate. people are not scared to tell em to get lost unlike the USA where you cant even cross a road in the wrong place.
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rebrad (profile), 8 Feb 2011 @ 6:33am

Old Business Model
Now that the MPAA and RIAA have partnered with Homeland Security the old business model of using lawyers to sue is no longer needed. DHS apparently doesn't need court approval or any justification to shut down any site that the a major financial contributor desires. Not sure how this will affect the lawyers but for the MPAA and RIAA all legal cost are now paid by the taxpayers.
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average_joe (profile), 8 Feb 2011 @ 6:48am

Re: Old Business Model
Now that the MPAA and RIAA have partnered with Homeland Security the old business model of using lawyers to sue is no longer needed. DHS apparently doesn't need court approval or any justification to shut down any site that the a major financial contributor desires. Not sure how this will affect the lawyers but for the MPAA and RIAA all legal cost are now paid by the taxpayers.

What site has DHS shut down without any justification?
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Anonymous Coward, 8 Feb 2011 @ 9:14am

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA, ACS: Law went out of business, LOL! That just made my whole week.
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David, 8 Feb 2011 @ 1:34pm

Extortion by another name.
That news perked up my day no end but what will the judge make of it? Can Crossley still be held personally responsible? I damn well hope so. That man has got a lot to answer for and I only hope that he gets what he deserves. I wonder he can sleep at night.
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rebrad (profile), 9 Feb 2011 @ 4:42am

Re: Re: Old Business Model
More sites than I'm going to spend time on. Sites have been shut down with no due process or notification. How many of the sites could be considered a national threat is dubious at best but then again DHS provided obtuse response when ask for justification. Here is a recent article from Techdirt. There are many more. I don't know or care what the sites were about or what they do but the Constitution gives every American rights that DHS can't deny.

http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20101130/00494412051/homeland-securitys-domain-name-seizur e-may-stretch-law-past-breaking-point.shtml
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Just a Shame, 17 Feb 2011 @ 9:18am

Shame Shame
Davenport Lyons and ACL Law couldnt handle the Hate Mail and threats from the hundreds. Secretary and staff had enough. Its any wonder reading about the bomb threat that Dunlap, Grubbs and Weaver had last summer that this wasnt a wake up call. Shame on these bullies. They ventured this idea probably with a horrific bad economy that caused these poor lawyers to make below their ridiculous normal salaries.
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Shame Shame, 21 Mar 2011 @ 12:13pm

Shame Shame
I hope all works out for Dunlap, Grubbs and Weaver> I hope they dont get alot of grief from people. I hate that they are in the bullies cateogry and I hate if the economy drove them to this i feel bad for them and everyone else who is hurting financially right now. (Me) When lawyers go after a huge number of people like this.they need to expect people you are always gonna have people not liking the group and needing to vent and comlain and needing support from their fellow bloggers.
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