(Podcast) The Briefing: Publicity Rights and the Law – Using Real People in Your Work
The Briefing: Publicity Rights and the Law – Using Real People in Your Work
Executive Order Breakdown: President Trump's Vision for College Sports and NIL Reform — Highway to NIL Podcast
CSC Guidance Unveiled: NIL Enforcement and Implications for Collectives — Highway to NIL Podcast
The NCAA's Recent Q&A Document: Clues on What NIL Enforcement Will Look Like Post-House — Highway to NIL Podcast
(Podcast) The Briefing: Who Owns Jack Nicklaus? Lessons for The Creator Economy From a Brand Battle
The Briefing: Who Owns Jack Nicklaus? Lessons for The Creator Economy From a Brand Battle
NIL Enforcement in a Post-House World – What Institutions Can Expect — Highway to NIL Podcast
PODCAST: Williams Mullen's Trending Now: An IP Podcast - NCAA Name, Image, Likeness (NIL) Update – Effects of House Settlement
(Podcast) The Briefing: Everyone Loves the HBO Series 'White Lotus,' Except Duke University
Dinsmore: A trusted partner in NIL deals
House Final Settlement Hearing: Key Insights and Future Implications for NIL — Highway to NIL Podcast
Rescission of DOE Guidance — Highway to NIL Podcast
The Labor Law Insider: Student Athletes as Employees – Changes and Updates on the Dartmouth Case, NIL Litigation
DOE Guidance and DOJ Statement of Interest — Highway to NIL Podcast
NIL News: End of Year Roundup — Highway to NIL Podcast
(Podcast) The Briefing: About Face – Courts Weigh AI Face-Swapping Technology and Celebrity Rights
The Briefing: About Face – Courts Weigh AI Face-Swapping Technology and Celebrity Rights
House Settlement Approval — Highway to NIL Podcast
The Journey From Athlete To Executive
You need “name, image, and likeness” (NIL) rights to use an individual’s name, voice, image, or AI replica. The Internet and social media have rapidly multiplied the ways companies can promote their businesses and products,...more
On April 11, 2025, The Joint Policy Committee, LLC (JPC), led by DLA Piper Partner and Chief Negotiator Stacy Marcus, and the Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA) reached an...more
The recent decision by U.S. District Judge Karen Marston in MLB Players Inc. v. DraftKings and Bet365[1] represents a pivotal development in the legal landscape surrounding name, image, and likeness (NIL) rights. The ruling...more
In a legal clash between MLB Players Inc. (MLBPI) and sports betting companies, DraftKings and bet365, the US District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania denied the defendants’ motions to dismiss....more
As the new year begins, creative advertisers and marketers look for new ways to stay current and get ahead by capitalizing on trends. ...more
Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul announced that Illinois has joined an $82.5 million proposed antitrust settlement with Varsity Brands (Varsity). As a result, Illinois consumers who paid to participate in Varsity Brands’...more
Illinois continues to enact legislation regulating artificial intelligence (AI) and generative AI technologies. •A little less than a year ago, Gov. JB Pritzker signed H.B. 2123 into law. That law, becoming effective...more
Illinois is the first state to enact a law protecting the financial interests of child influencers. The law, which took effect July 1, addresses what had been gaps in child labor law in light of modern issues and targets...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
This month, we posted about a lawsuit that an NBA Hall of Fame player filed against a company that allegedly used his image to sell products without his permission. Regardless of how that case turns out, it’s pretty clear you...more
Using AI to Build Cyber Resilience for Critical Infrastructure - "Cyber resilience serves as a literal survival strategy, offering a framework to detect threats, understand attacks, recover swiftly, and adapt to...more
In July 2021, the Supreme Court’s landmark decision in National Collegiate Athletic Association v. Alston secured student-athletes’ right to monetize their name, image, and likeness (or NIL). Before the landmark decision, the...more
Thanks to new legislation, student-athletes may now legally profit through the use of their name, image and likeness marketing and promotions efforts. If you have a strong social media following on sites like Instagram,...more
In an exclusive webinar produced by Ward and Smith, two attorneys coached participants through the changing landscape of Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL). In addition to reviewing new guidance recently published by the NCAA,...more
Supreme Court Blocks Use of Race in Harvard, UNC Admissions in Blow to Diversity Efforts - "In one of its most closely watched cases this year, the court ruled along ideological lines that the way the schools approached race...more
Three Ward and Smith attorneys shared insights on the legal implications businesses should consider when entering into a promotional contract with a social media influencer. During the discussion, the attorneys covered...more
Imagine you are a rising social media star. You create a video using a catchy phrase that immediately takes off. The phrase gains national, even global, attention and everyone begins using it. Now, let us say a company uses...more
As the world watches in awe at some of the staggeringly large NIL deals emerging in college sports, many have been equally surprised by which sports have garnered the most NIL attention and earnings. While most of the “Top...more
Welcome back to the "Sports & Entertainment Spotlight." We’re just one week into March Madness, and already my predictions from last week are coming to fruition (if only I had the same luck picking winners of the games...more
This past week, I have realized my place is still on the blogosphere and not in the stands. That time will come. But it’s not now. I love my readers, and I love my supportive family. Without them, none of this is possible....more
Addressing a dispute between a bridal designer and her former employer regarding the use of the designer’s name and control of various social media accounts, the US Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit affirmed the...more
A U.S. district judge in Illinois recently denied a motion to dismiss in a class action involving an alleged violation of the Illinois’ Right of Publicity Act (IRPA). The court determined that the defendant’s arguments were...more
Name, Image and Likeness (NIL) rights for college and high school athletes remains a hot topic as we enter the start of the academic year. Many sponsors and professional teams see a number of intriguing reasons to partner...more
- As the pandemic continues, the question arises: Could celebrities be the key to getting the country vaccinated? - Seemingly everyone is coming up a winner in the music business with the top three major companies bringing...more
Well, today is the big day. If you’re reading this week’s installment of the Spotlight, it means that you survived the long and arduous journey of the name, image and likeness (NIL) era in college sports. Indeed, with the...more