Category Archives: IP Litigation

Taylor Swift, Trademark Law, and the Fight Over ‘Life of a Showgirl’



Can a five word phrase be worth millions? In this episode of The Briefing, Weintraub Tobin partners Scott Hervey and Matt Sugarman break down the high stakes trademark dispute between Las Vegas performer Maren Flagg and Taylor Swift over the phrase “The Life of a Showgirl.”

In this episode, they cover:

Continue reading Taylor Swift, Trademark Law, and the Fight Over ‘Life of a Showgirl’


March Madness or Trademark Madness? The NCAA v. DraftKings Lawsuit



Can you use “March Madness” without getting sued? In this episode of The Briefing, Weintraub Tobin partners Scott Hervey and Jessica Corpuz break down the NCAA’s lawsuit against DraftKings and the high stakes fight over one of the most recognizable trademarks in sports.

In this episode, they cover:

Continue reading March Madness or Trademark Madness? The NCAA v. DraftKings Lawsuit


Lemon Pound Cake and the First Amendment



What happens when a failed police raid turns into a music video about lemon poundcake and a $3.9 million lawsuit?

In this episode of The Briefing, Scott Hervey and Richard Buckley, Jr. break down the Afroman defamation case, where surveillance footage, satire, and public officials collide under First Amendment law.

In this episode, they cover:

Continue reading Lemon Pound Cake and the First Amendment


Vampires, Love Triangles, but No Infringement



What happens when two fantasy stories share the same DNA? In this episode of The Briefing, Weintraub Tobin partners Scott Hervey and Matt Sugarman break down a major copyright decision involving the Crave series and what it means for substantial similarity in fiction.

In this episode, they cover:

Continue reading Vampires, Love Triangles, but No Infringement


The Sound of a Lawsuit – David Greene vs Google NotebookLM



When does an AI voice become your voice? In this episode of The Briefing, Weintraub Tobin partners Scott Hervey and Richard Buckley break down the lawsuit filed by longtime broadcaster David Greene against Google over its NotebookLM tool and its eerily familiar AI-generated voice.

In this episode, they cover:

Continue reading The Sound of a Lawsuit – David Greene vs Google NotebookLM


No Paper, No Standing: Kanye West, Copyright Transfers, and the Writing Requirement



What happens when artists agree to transfer rights to a musical composition but never put that transfer in writing? In this episode of The Briefing, Weintraub Tobin partners Scott Hervey and Jessica R. Corpuz break down a federal court decision arising from a copyright dispute tied to Ye’s Donda album. The case turned on a simple but unforgiving rule of copyright law: without a written assignment, you do not own the copyright and you cannot enforce it.

In this episode, they cover:

Continue reading No Paper, No Standing: Kanye West, Copyright Transfers, and the Writing Requirement


Vetter v. Resnik: When Copyright Termination Goes Global



What happens when an artist terminates a decades-old copyright grant under U.S. law, but the work is still being exploited around the world? In this episode of The Briefing, Weintraub Tobin Partners Scott Hervey and Matt Sugarman break down the Fifth Circuit’s decision in Vetter v. Resnik and what it means for worldwide copyright grants. In this episode, they discuss:

Continue reading Vetter v. Resnik: When Copyright Termination Goes Global


Skechers, TikTok, and Khaby Lame: Is Barrett Wissman Potentially Liable?



Can an arbitration provider force someone into arbitration who never signed the contract? In this episode of The Briefing, Weintraub Tobin partners Scott Hervey and Richard D. Buckley, Jr. break down the high-profile dispute involving Skechers, global influencer Khaby Lame, his management company KBL Services, and talent manager Barrett Wissman. At the center of the fight is a critical question of arbitration law: does the American Arbitration Association have jurisdiction over a non-signatory?

In this episode, they discuss:

Continue reading Skechers, TikTok, and Khaby Lame: Is Barrett Wissman Potentially Liable?


Kat Von D, Miles Davis, and the Possible Death of the Intrinsic Test?



When a jury says two works are not substantially similar, is that the end of the story? In this episode of The Briefing, Weintraub Tobin partners Scott Hervey and Richard D. Buckley, Jr. break down the Ninth Circuit’s decision arising from the Kat Von D tattoo of an iconic Miles Davis photograph and why it may signal the beginning of the end for the intrinsic test in copyright law.

In this episode, they cover:
Continue reading Kat Von D, Miles Davis, and the Possible Death of the Intrinsic Test?


Part Two: CCPA’s New Rules on Risk Assessments and Cybersecurity Audits



California privacy law has entered a new phase. In Part Two of this two-part episode of The Briefing, Weintraub Tobin Partners Scott Hervey and Richard Buckley break down the CCPA’s new requirements for Risk Assessments and Cybersecurity Audits.

In this episode, they cover:

Continue reading Part Two: CCPA’s New Rules on Risk Assessments and Cybersecurity Audits