It’s War!- CBS Sues Writer of John Grisham NBC ‘The Firm’ for Story Theft

I love legal drama, I really do. I can’t get enough whether it be via legal movies, tv shows, books, fashion law films – can I get an “Amen” from my cyber fashion law folks.  Legally blonde, The Devil’s Advocate, A Few Good Men, Time to Kill . . .  we’d be here all day if I began counting off all of my favorite legal “everything.”

In any event, one of my all time favorite legal fiction writers is the well known John Grisham. I have almost all of John’s books and if you have ever read any of his books, you know he does legal drama so well.

Now, real life imitates art as one of John Grisham’s highly charged drama filled novel, ‘The Firm’ comes alive at the Los Angeles Superior Court via CBS v. NBC Writer lawsuit.

Duck for cover people. It’s war zones, the take no prisoners kind.

I will let you all read the story below. But guys, note something that could be strategic here. If indeed the facts are what they are, that the NBC writer is double dealing, NBC probably did the cost/benefit analysis, factored the cost of litigation into the mix and still concluded it would come out on top, hence forging ahead, despite the alleged clear breach of contract and tortious conduct.

Worse case scenario CBS sues. So what? 99% of these cases settle. The case settles and at the end of the day, NBC still walks a way with way more money now and in infinity.  Again, this is strictly based on the reported facts and speculation on why CBS would allegedly forge ahead if indeed the breach of contract and tortious claims are that blatant.

This is one case I will watch closely. Interested to see how this all turns out . . . something tells me there might be some suspense planned just like the very book ‘The Firm’ the TV series is based on.

“Calling Mitch McDeere: A nasty legal fued has broken out over the upcoming TV series based on characters in John Grisham’s seminal legal thriller The Firm.

CBS today sued the writer-producer of the upcoming NBC series claiming the project was originally developed for CBS and was taken to the Peacock network without permission.

According to the complaint, filed today in Los Angeles Superior Court, Lukas Reiter and Entertainment One developed The Firm,  which picks up where the Grisham novel leaves off, for CBS under an exclusive contract. CBS says it paid Reiter $250,000 and other compensation.

The lawsuit says Reiter later asked if he could take the project elsewhere and CBS said no but “Entertainment One and Reiter have moved full speed ahead, in direct violation of CBS’s rights,” according to the suit. . .”

THR., Esq.’s Mathew Belloni has the full story.