It is hard to imagine that any one person could initiate separate lawsuits resulting in decisions of substantial importance to the entire U.S. entertainment industry. And when that person is iconic actress Olivia de Havilland – best known for her roles in “Gone With the…
Did you catch that Dodge commercial everyone is talking about with the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. voiceover? Many viewers took to Twitter last night to express their belief that the use of the speech to sell trucks was inappropriate and not in line…
Last week we reported on the right of publicity bill being considered by the Minnesota legislature in light of the passing of musical icon, Prince. As reported by the Minneapolis Star Tribune this evening, State Representative Joe Hoppe has decided to pull the proposed PRINCE Act…
The ability to control the use of one’s name, likeness, voice, and other personal attributes is known as the right of publicity. Unlike trademarks, patents, and copyrights, which are types of intellectual property governed by federal law, the right of publicity is governed by state…
In August 2015, the film Straight Outta Compton was released. It’s a biopic about the struggles of several young African American males who formed the musical group “N.W.A.” back in the 1980s. A key player in the film is N.W.A.’s manager, Jerry Heller, who managed…
In 2006, Terry Gene Bollea, better known as “Hulk Hogan,” had sex with his best friend’s wife, Heather Clem. Apparently unbeknownst to either of them, his best friend Todd Alan Clem, now legally known as “Bubba the Love Sponge,” recorded their escapades. Unsurprisingly, the tape…
The Supreme Court passed on an opportunity to review a recent appellate court decision holding that a video game publisher is not protected by the First Amendment for using the likenesses of former NFL football stars in the widely popular Madden NFL video game series….
In Dryer v. The National Football League, three former gridiron gladiators who played in the NFL had their claims for right of publicity under state law tossed out by the Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals. These three players (and twenty others who initially joined them)…
As we kick off “Oscar Week” here at TheTMCA.com, it is particularly apropos to discuss a decision just handed down by the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals involving the critically acclaimed movie, The Hurt Locker. It is a powerful film about a team of U.S….
Illinois attorney Ms. Moira Bernstein is the latest advocate to take on Avvo.com, the Seattle-based lawyer information and rating site. On February 4, 2016, Ms. Bernstein filed a class action complaint against Avvo, Inc. (“Avvo”) in Cook County, Illinois. According to the allegations, Ms. Bernstein…
Jeffrey CadwellJeff advises clients on the availability, registrability, and stre...
Michael KeyesJ. Michael Keyes is an intellectual property attorney with exten...
Kaleb McNeelyAs a partner in the Trial Group, Kaleb practices primarily in the ...
Sarah RobertsonSarah has over fifteen years’ experience helping clients prot...
Fara SunderjiFara assists clients in the development and execution of all type...
Charlene KroghCharlene Krogh is a Partner in Dorsey’s top-ranked Tradem...
Evan EveristEvan is a partner in Dorsey’s Trademark, Copyright and Adverti...