The Wall Street Journal-20080118-Google Switches Lawyer Team
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Google Switches Lawyer Team
Google Inc. has switched lawyers in its legal battles with Viacom Inc. and other content owners, bringing in a team from Mayer Brown LLP to succeed noted trial attorney Phil Beck.
Viacom sued Google last spring claiming its YouTube video-sharing site engaged in "massive intentional copyright infringement" by posting unauthorized clips of Viacom programming. Soon after Viacom filed its complaint, other content providers also sued the search giant alleging copyright infringement. The lawsuits are being handled in tandem before a federal judge in Manhattan.
Google hired Mr. Beck of Bartlit Beck Herman Palenchar & Scott LLP to represent them.
Google recently replaced Barlit Beck with a team of lawyers at Mayer Brown, led by Richard Ben-Veniste and Andy Schapiro. Mr. Beck did not return a telephone call seeking comment.
"We decided to make this change because it appeared that scheduling conflicts might pose problems as we move into the more active stages of discovery," said a spokesman for Google.
Viacom declined to comment.
