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Strike a Pose and Say “Trademark”

After visiting Rio to experience the Olympic Games a few weeks ago, I still feel like a winner.  One athlete who won big in Rio was Usain Bolt, who took home three medals in three Track and Field events during the Games this year.  Over…

EU Court Holds That Hyperlinks Can Infringe Copyright

In a landmark decision that departs from previous case law, the Court of Justice of the EU, the highest court of the EU, held that a website operator that posts hyperlinks to another site that contains copyright materials posted without the right holder’s consent could…

Brand Names as Stage Names – Tribute or Infringement?

While all the world might be a stage, the famous U.K. fashion house Burberry Limited has now established that none of its players – except Burberry – has the right in the U.S. to use the famous Burberry trademark as a stage name.  That’s the…

Gossip Cop Gets Cuffed For Copyright Infringement

The U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York recently found that Gossip Cop, a website that rates celebrity gossip on a scale of “real” to “rumor,” infringed the copyrights in three photographs of famous celebrities.  The Court’s decision is a good reminder about…

Ed Sheeran Gears up to “Get it On” in Another Copyright Lawsuit

English pop musician Ed Sheeran once again finds himself in the crosshairs of a high-profile copyright infringement lawsuit, this time in the Southern District of New York over alleged similarities between his smash hit “Thinking Out Loud” and Marvin Gaye’s iconic “Let’s Get it On.” …

Avoiding the Road to Ruin in Your Road To Rio Marketing Blitz

Late last month, the United States Olympic Committee (the “USOC”) sent a few not so nice warning letters to brands that sponsor athletes, but chose not to pay the “golden” price of becoming an “official” sponsor of the games.  The USOC warned these brands about…