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Meet some of our Publishing Lawyers

Norman R. - Publishing Lawyer in the United States
View Norman
5.0 (1)
Member Since:
December 31, 2024

Norman R.

Attorney
Free Consultation
Washington, District of Columbia
37 Yrs Experience
Licensed in DC
Catholic University, Columbus School of Law

Norman Romney is an attorney and professional engineer with over 35 years of experience in the engineering, construction, and real estate industries. He is a seasoned transactional lawyer experienced in the review, negotiation, drafting and analysis of commercial contracts, including: business asset purchase agreements, partnership buy-out agreements, non-disclosure/confidentiality agreements, commercial leases, cease-desist letters, payment demand letters, construction contracts, consulting agreements and many more. He is also experienced in the preparation and review of construction industry standard contract forms including AIA documents, EJCDC documents and FIDIC international construction industry forms. Norman’s practice has included serving a General Counsel for a large non-profit. He also represented and assisted clients in the resolution of business contract disputes. He is experienced in many forms of alternative dispute resolution such as mediation, arbitration and third-party neutrals. His clients include large and small businesses, entrepreneurs, non-profits and freelancers. He is devoted to all his clients and seeks to provide timely, efficient and cost-effective legal services.

Sarah T. - Publishing Lawyer in the United States
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5.0 (27)
Member Since:
January 12, 2025

Sarah T.

Attorney
Free Consultation
Fort Worth, Tx
16 Yrs Experience
Licensed in TX
Texas Wesleyan University School of Law

Sarah has been practicing law since 2010. Prior to becoming an attorney, Sarah worked in the insurance industry for 5 years. Sarah's practice includes civil litigation, contracts, and family matters.

Recent  ContractsCounsel Client  Review:
5.0

"My prenup was delayed a couple of months to deliver for review, but Sarah is very patient and understanding."

Ricardo A. - Publishing Lawyer in the United States
View Ricardo
4.4 (4)
Member Since:
December 24, 2024

Ricardo A.

Associate General Counsel
Free Consultation
San Antonio, Texas
24 Yrs Experience
Licensed in DC, TX
Interamerican Law School

Ricardo Aponte Parsi is a real estate and corporate counsel with a 22+-year track record of assessing risk, managing litigation, and building compliance systems to protect organizational interests. Trusted business partner and problem solver, dedicated to delivering exceptional results that advance business objectives through preventive counseling, strategic risk management, and shrewd advocacy. Collaborative team leader and project manager who builds relationships, leads change, and communicates effectively with private and public stakeholders. He obtained a bachelor's degree from Syracuse University (1994) with a major in International Relations and his law degree from the Interamerican University of Puerto Rico School of Law (2000). In May 2014, he completed a Master of Laws from Northwestern University School of Law and a Certificate in Business Administration from IE Business School in Madrid, Spain. In 2018, he completed a second LL.M. at Georgetown University Law School in Securities and Financial Regulation. In 2022, he completed a certification in Privacy Law from Seton Hall University School of Law. He was president of the Board of the Puerto Rico Education Council, the licensing agency for the Commonwealth, and is currently the Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the San Juan Community College. Since November of 2024, he has worked as an attorney-advisor for the United States Air Force Installations, Energy and Environmental Law Division (SAF/GCN) at Lackland Air Force Base, in San Antonio, Texas.SAF/GCN provides legal and policy advice to members of the Secretariat, the Air Staff, and the Space Staff on virtually all matters relating to the Department’s 180 installations, nearly 10 million acres of real estate, Base Realignment, and Closure; annual $7 billion installation and operational energy budgets; annual multibillion-dollar military construction program; $8.3 billion military privatized housing portfolio; programs for environmental planning, compliance, and restoration and natural and cultural resources management; and programs for safety and occupational health. The Division advises the Center of Excellence for Environment, Facilities, and Installations and the Energy, Environmental, and Installations Directorates within the Air Force Civil Engineer Center. Experienced with estate planning, wills, trusts, prenuptial agreements and powers of attorney.

Recent  ContractsCounsel Client  Review:
5.0

"Ricardo was exceptionally attentive and detail-oriented while drafting our unconventional prenuptial agreement. Despite an extremely tight timeline, he delivered it right in time without compromising quality. He didn't simply drag and drop information in a template like our previous attorney did – instead, he wrote a custom agreement based on our goals. He took the time to truly listen to our needs and asked thoughtful, incisive follow-up questions that led to important revisions we had not previously anticipated, but were deeply grateful he identified. His rate was very reasonable, and he demonstrated outstanding integrity in transparently and accurately documenting his billable hours. We are sincerely grateful for his guidance during a stressful and emotionally charged time, and for ensuring we had a thoroughly drafted, legally sound, and high-quality agreement in place before our wedding. We can't recommend him enough!"

Feras M. - Publishing Lawyer in the United States
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Member Since:
December 21, 2024

Feras M.

Managing Partner
Free Consultation
Houston, Texas
23 Yrs Experience
Licensed in TX
University of Texas School of Law

Feras Mousilli is a globally recognized leader in intellectual property, entrepreneurship, and corporate strategy. As the founder and managing partner of Lloyd & Mousilli, he has driven scalable growth strategies for Fortune 500 companies as well as innovative startups in emerging markets.

Benjamin E. - Publishing Lawyer in the United States
View Benjamin
Member Since:
December 24, 2024

Benjamin E.

State Agency Director; CEO; Professor
Free Consultation
Boise, Idaho
10 Yrs Experience
Licensed in ID
University of Idaho College of Law

Dr. Ben Earwicker, J.D., Ph.D., is the director and administrator of the Idaho Human Rights Commission, the state-wide administrative law agency within the Idaho Department of Labor that enforces anti-discrimination law in Idaho. Prior to his work in administrative employment and civil rights law, he served as a faculty member and administrator at universities in the U.S. and New Zealand for 13 years and managed dual-enrollment modern language courses throughout Washington, Oregon, and Idaho. Ben is the CEO of VirNet Virtual Mediation, an online mediation platform with clients throughout the United States and abroad. He holds a Juris Doctorate from the University of Idaho College of Law, a Ph.D. in Spanish and Latin American Studies and a Master’s of International Studies from the University of Otago in New Zealand, and Bachelor of Arts Degrees in Psychology, Social Work, Spanish, and International Studies from Northwest Nazarene University.

Brian W. - Publishing Lawyer in the United States
View Brian
Member Since:
December 30, 2024

Brian W.

Founder & President
Free Consultation
Los Angeles, CA
34 Yrs Experience
Licensed in CA
Southwestern Law School

I founded Brian Wynne Law, PC (based in Los Angeles, CA) in late 2023 after spending over 25 years as an in-house lawyer and over 13 years serving in General Counsel and department head-level business & legal affairs, and corporate operations positions. I provide fractional general counsel and legal advisory services to a broad range of companies, both early-stage and more established, primarily in the technology, digital media, and hospitality sectors. I negotiate a variety of sales, licensing, marketing,g and technology agreements, and handle employment, compliance, privacy, board matters, dispute resolution, and risk management matters. I also assist my clients by managing corporate transactions, IP, M&A, and corporate/legal operations as a combination GC/COO.

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Publishing Legal Questions and Answers

Publishing

Book Publishing Agreement

Connecticut

Asked on Aug 24, 2025

Can I terminate a book agreement if the publisher fails to fulfill their obligations?

I entered into a book agreement with a publisher to publish my manuscript, but they have repeatedly failed to fulfill their obligations, including missed deadlines, poor editing, and inadequate marketing efforts. As a result, I am concerned about the impact on the success of my book and my reputation as an author. I want to know if I have the right to terminate the agreement and seek a new publisher.

Randy M.

Answered Sep 5, 2025

Based on what you’ve described and how Connecticut law generally works, it sounds like you probably have a solid basis for ending your publishing agreement. The important thing is understanding how contract law in Connecticut applies to your situation, and then following the right steps to protect your rights as you move forward. Let’s start with the big picture. Under Connecticut law, if a publisher commits a material breach, you have the right to terminate the contract. That means they’ve failed in such a significant way that the whole purpose of the agreement is essentially defeated. In publishing, this might look like missed deadlines over and over, poor editing that damages your reputation, or a total failure to do any of the marketing they promised. When you look at all the problems you’ve mentioned together, it’s likely enough to qualify as material breach. Now, it’s not about one minor slip-up. Courts look at everything in context. One late email won’t cut it, but if there’s a pattern of delays, low-quality work, and no real marketing effort, that adds up to something more serious. That’s when a court is more likely to say the breach is material. Next, you’ll want to take a close look at your contract. Most publishing agreements include a section about termination. Look for phrases like “material breach,” “cure period,” or “reversion of rights.” Many of these clauses will require you to give notice—typically 30 to 60 days—before you can walk away. Some agreements even say that if the publisher misses a key milestone, like a publication deadline, and doesn’t fix it within a set window, you can end things automatically. Also, check what the contract says about advance payments. In most cases, if they breach first, you keep the advance and get your rights back. Just be sure to see if there’s a clause about legal fees, because some contracts say you could owe their attorney’s costs if they challenge your termination and win. The type of publisher matters, too. If you signed with a traditional publisher that paid you an advance and took on the financial risk, courts usually hold them to a higher standard. But if it’s a hybrid or vanity publisher and you paid upfront, it’s more like a service contract. That can change how a judge sees each party’s obligations and how they interpret what “performance” really means in your case. Before you do anything official, put together a timeline that shows missed deadlines, poor communication, weak deliverables, and anything else that supports your case. Save all emails, notes, and written promises. If the editing was sloppy, point to specific examples that show real, objective problems, not just stylistic preferences. Same with marketing. What were you promised, and what did you actually get? All of this documentation will help in two ways. First, it strengthens your legal position. Second, it gives you clear, credible language for your notice letter. Speaking of notice, Connecticut law typically expects you to give the other party a chance to fix things before ending the contract. That means sending a formal letter that spells out what they’ve done wrong, points to the relevant sections of your agreement, and gives them a chance to cure the problems, either within the timeframe listed in the contract or, if there isn’t one, within a “reasonable” period. Be specific. Don’t just say “the editing was bad.” Say something like, “Failure to provide professional editing services under Section X, resulting in multiple grammatical errors and inconsistencies that reduce the manuscript’s professional quality.” Clarity here matters, especially if the situation ends up in dispute. If they don’t fix the issues in time, then you’re in a position to send a formal termination notice. If that happens, your rights usually revert back to you, and you’re free to publish elsewhere. You typically won’t owe back the advance either, assuming the breach was on their side. Just keep an eye out for any non-compete clauses or restrictions that could delay your ability to republish the same work right away. Of course, sometimes you can resolve things without pulling the plug completely. If you think there’s still a chance to salvage the relationship—or if the publisher seems willing to talk—it might be worth having a direct conversation. You could end up with a mutual termination or at least avoid legal headaches. That said, you don’t have to keep tolerating poor performance just to avoid conflict. If they’re harming your book or your reputation, it’s absolutely reasonable to consider legal options. Finally, while you can handle much of this yourself, getting a lawyer involved might be a smart move, especially if the contract has any fee-shifting provisions or vague language. An attorney can help you assess how strong your case is, draft the notice properly, and make sure you don’t accidentally create liability while trying to assert your rights. They can also tell you if you might be entitled to any damages beyond simply walking away, such as lost sales or reputational harm.

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