Styne v. Stevens

Opinion

BAXTER, J.

Sections 1700 to 1700.47 of the Labor Code (hereafter sometimes the Talent Agencies Act, or Act) 1 regulate “ ‘[t]alent agenc[ies]’ ” (§ 1700.4, subd. (a))—persons or corporations that procure professional “employment or engagements” (ibid.) for creative or performing “artists” (ibid.) in the entertainment media, including theater, movies, radio, and television (id., subd. (b)). One must have a license to act as a talent agency (§ 1700.5), and any contract of an unlicensed person for talent agency services is illegal and void ab initio. All “cases of controversy arising under…