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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 required for copyright protection.
In this episode of The Briefing, Scott Hervey and Richard Buckley break down the history of the Eleanor litigation, review the district court and Ninth Circuit rulings, and explain what it actually takes for a character to qualify for copyright protection.
Watch this episode on the Weintraub YouTube channel.
Continue reading The Ninth Circuit Puts the Brakes on Eleanor’s Copyright Claim
What happens when a business built on a celebrity’s name no longer controls the name itself? In this episode of The Briefing, attorneys 
After nearly 30 years of litigation, a federal court has canceled General Cigar’s U.S. trademarks for COHIBA cigars — all because of a little-known treaty and a Cuban brand once favored by Fidel Castro. What does this mean for U.S. trademark law and the future of the COHIBA brand? Tune in to this week’s episode of The Briefing as 
A class action lawsuit has been filed against ALO Yoga and several influencers for failing to disclose that various social media campaigns were actually paid ads. Weintraub attorneys 
On this episode of The Briefing, 
Lady Gaga’s “Mayhem” tour has sparked legal trouble. In this episode of The Briefing, 
Is traditional Hollywood facing an existential crisis? Deloitte’s 2025 Digital Media Trends report reveals a massive shift in how Gen Z and millennials consume content. 
Can HBO be sued over a T-shirt? 
Is ‘The Pit’ a spinoff, sequel, or something else entirely? 
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