The Briefing: Trademark Basics - Protecting Names, Logos, and Brands in Entertainment
The Briefing: Anthropic, Copyright, and the Fair Use Divide
Will I Get Sued if I Create Another Hospital Drama? — No Infringement Intended Podcast
(Podcast) The Briefing: Sinking the Rogers Test? What Pepperdine’s Lawsuit Could Mean for Hollywood
The Briefing: Sinking the Rogers Test? What Pepperdine’s Lawsuit Could Mean for Hollywood
Mickey Mouse: un ratón con abogado
(Podcast) The Briefing: The Ninth Circuit Puts the Brakes on Eleanor’s Copyright Claim
The Briefing: The Ninth Circuit Puts the Brakes on Eleanor’s Copyright Claim
Why Can't I Clean the Graffiti Off My Walls? — No Infringement Intended Podcast
(Podcast) The Briefing: When a TikTok Costs You $150,000 - Copyright Pitfalls in Influencer Marketing
The Briefing: When a TikTok Costs You $150,000 - Copyright Pitfalls in Influencer Marketing
Can Tattoos Be Copyrighted? The Legal Battle Over Mike Tyson's Iconic Ink — No Infringement Intended Podcast
(Podcast) The Briefing: Trademark Mayhem – Lady Gaga Gets Sued for Trademark Infringement
The Briefing: Trademark Mayhem – Lady Gaga Gets Sued for Trademark Infringement
(Podcast) The Briefing: The Future of TV? A 2025 Digital Media Trends Analysis
The Briefing: The Future of TV? A 2025 Digital Media Trends Analysis
The Briefing: Everyone Loves the HBO Series 'White Lotus,' Except Duke University
(Podcast) The Briefing: Everyone Loves the HBO Series 'White Lotus,' Except Duke University
The Briefing: Sequel, Spin-Off, or Something Else? The Legal Battle Over "ER" and "The Pitt"
(Podcast) The Briefing: Sequel, Spin-Off, or Something Else? The Legal Battle Over "ER" and "The Pitt"
Sixth Circuit affirms dismissal of lawsuit brought by granddaughter of late composer Jay Livingston, holding that termination notices served and filed by Livingston’s daughter were valid and that granddaughter retained no...more
Superman has soared back onto the big screen, and unless you’ve been locked in the Fortress of Solitude, you already know his origin story: Rocketed from the doomed planet Krypton. Raised in Kansas. Secretly, a mild-mannered...more
Michael Crichton, author, director, and visionary created works that resonate today like Jurassic Park, Twister, Westworld, and ER. Now, his estate is suing the production team and leading actor of the newly released medical...more
The PGA Tour announced a significant structural change Tuesday hiring longtime NFL executive Brian Rolapp as the first CEO in the organization’s history while beginning the transition away from commissioner Jay Monahan, who...more
In a new precedential decision, the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals held in Carroll Shelby Licensing, Inc. v. Halicki that “Eleanor,” a stable of Ford Mustangs that appears across four action films, is not a copyrightable...more
On June 11, 2025, Disney (including Lucasfilm, Marvel, and 20th Century Studios) and Universal Pictures (including DreamWorks) filed a Complaint for direct and secondary copyright infringement in the Central District of...more
Can a car be a copyrightable character? In Carroll Shelby Licensing v. Halicki, the Ninth Circuit said no — ruling that “Eleanor,” the iconic Mustang from ‘Gone in 60 Seconds,’ lacks the distinctiveness and consistency...more
The Copyright Act does not expressly address the protection of individual characters in expressive works, but courts have long recognized that certain characters, particularly those with strong visual or narrative identities,...more
Some of the largest movie studios have entered the fray of GenAI copyright litigation. Disney, Marvel, Lucasfilm, Twentieth Century Fox, Universal Pictures, and DreamWorks sued the image-GenAI company Midjourney, Inc. in the...more
In this episode of No Infringement Intended, hosts Austin Padgett and Rusty Close delve into the 5Pointz case, where graffiti art clashed with property rights in Queens, NY. Explore how the Visual Artists Rights Act (VARA)...more
Court Narrows Scope of Character Copyright, Drawing Sharp Line Between Props and Protectable Expression - Not every film icon gets legal protection. On May 27, 2025, the Ninth Circuit ruled that Eleanor—the legendary Mustang...more
The former CEO of World Wrestling Entertainment Inc. has pushed back against efforts to force him to hand over documents relating to his alleged sexual misconduct and hush money payments in a class action over the company’s...more
In this episode, Austin Padgett and Rusty Close discuss the legal implications of Mike Tyson's face tattoo in the context of intellectual property law. They explore the copyright infringement lawsuit filed by tattoo artist S....more
Nike was hit with a proposed securities class action on Friday accusing the athletic apparel giant of touting its nonfungible tokens before abruptly abandoning that business, in a “brazen rug pull” that left purchasers of...more
Jack Nicklaus just scored a $1 million win in a New York court, striking back against his former company’s attempt to control his personal brand....more
Is 'The Pitt' a spinoff, sequel, or something else entirely? Scott Hervey and Tara Sattler break down the lawsuit over 'ER' and whether 'The Pit' crosses the legal line into derivative territory on this episode of The...more
Is 'The Pit' a spinoff, sequel, or something else entirely? Scott Hervey and Tara Sattler break down the lawsuit over 'ER' and whether 'The Pit' crosses the legal line into derivative territory on this episode of The...more
UFC has urged a Nevada federal court not to certify a class of fighters in the second antitrust lawsuit it is facing over allegedly suppressed wages, saying the class is legally defective because the plaintiffs who filed the...more
The estate of ‘ER’ creator Michael Crichton is suing Warner Brothers, claiming their new medical drama ‘The Pit’ is a derivative of ‘ER.’ IP and Entertainment attorneys Scott Hervey and Jessica Corpuz discuss this case on...more
If your handle is on this list, give us a call to discuss. Do not panic; Vondran Legal® can defend you and help you achieve an early settlement without expensive litigation to follow. We have helped many in your situation....more
On March 6, 2025, the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York confirmed that historical events are not subject to copyright protection....more
The Pitch newsletter is a monthly update of legal issues and news affecting or related to the music, film and television, fine arts, media, professional athletics, eSports, and gaming industries. The Pitch features a diverse...more
The NCAA and a coalition of states led by Tennessee reached a settlement in their lawsuit against the NCAA, Tennessee Attorney General Jonathan Skrmetti announced Jan. 31....more