St. Thomas Law Review – Monica Lopez

Flowers for Whom? Music Investors, Copyright Standing, and the Answer Song Defense

March 25, 2026By Monica Lopez

In February 2023, Miley Cyrus (“Cyrus”) released “Flowers,” an anthem that spent eight weeks on the Billboard Hot 100 and won the Grammy Award for Record of the Year. Shortly after, in September 2024, Tempo Music Investments, LLC, filed a federal copyright infringement lawsuit alleging that “Flowers” copied melodic, harmonic, and lyrical elements from Bruno […]

Employment Law Featured Federal Law

Workers or Contractors? The Legal Tug-of-War in the Gig Economy

October 25, 2024By Monica Lopez

Mary is a dog walker on the Rover app. She advertises her dog-walking business on the app, and once she gets a booking request, she can respond or decline it. Mary is a gig worker because she derives income from freelance work on an on-demand basis.[i] The term gig economy refers to the larger landscape where […]

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Flowers for Whom? Music Investors, Copyright Standing, and the Answer Song Defense

Workers or Contractors? The Legal Tug-of-War in the Gig Economy