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Intellectual Property Litigation Copyright Litigation

Fenwick & West LLP

Ninth Circuit Pumps Brakes on Character Copyright Claim over Action Movie Car

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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

Ervin Cohen & Jessup LLP

Major Studios Strike Back: Disney & Universal Sue Midjourney Over AI-Created Characters

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

ArentFox Schiff

Disney and Universal Sue Midjourney: Navigating AI Copyright Challenges and Fair Use Implications

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The Walt Disney Company and Universal City Studios Productions are among the latest plaintiffs to bring a lawsuit against an artificial intelligence (AI) developer....more

Weintraub Tobin

(Podcast) The Briefing: The Ninth Circuit Puts the Brakes on Eleanor’s Copyright Claim

Weintraub Tobin on

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

Weintraub Tobin

The Briefing: The Ninth Circuit Puts the Brakes on Eleanor’s Copyright Claim

Weintraub Tobin on

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

Sheppard Mullin Richter & Hampton LLP

When Is a Car a Character? The Ninth Circuit Revisits Copyrightability in Halicki v. Carroll Shelby Licensing

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

Knobbe Martens

AI and Copyright: Navigating the Legal Maze with Liz Rothman

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In this episode of Knobbe IP+, Knobbe Martens partner Mark Lezama is joined by attorney and emerging technology advisor Liz Rothman to discuss the complex topic of artificial intelligence and copyright law. During their...more

Pillsbury - Internet & Social Media Law Blog

Disney and Universal’s AI Lawsuit, Nvidia’s Expansion, Meta’s AI “World Model”

In this week’s News of Note, Disney and Universal target alleged copyright infringement, OpenAI and Mattel team up to bring artificial intelligence to toymaking and China launches its production of the world’s first...more

Farella Braun + Martel LLP

Outside Baseball: IP Rights in Public Performances

A lawsuit between the Chicago Cubs and the owner of a rooftop venue near Wrigley Field raises important questions about the scope of intellectual property rights and the extent to which a property owner can profit from the...more

Farella Braun + Martel LLP

The Distinct Concepts of Copyright and Right of Publicity In Photos

A recent lawsuit filed by photographer Jackson Lee against MediaNews Group illustrates the important distinction between copyright and the right of publicity. Lee claims the publisher used his photos of Beyoncé, Jennifer...more

Vondran Legal

Options when you receive a Strike 3 Holdings subpoena from your ISP

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After years of handling hundreds of Strike 3 Holdings (S3) copyright defense cases, there is one question I get seemingly more than any other. The question is this: "should I contact my ISP to call off the subpoena?"...more

Sterne, Kessler, Goldstein & Fox P.L.L.C.

IP Hot Topic: The (Media) Empire Strikes Back

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

Troutman Pepper Locke

Why Can't I Clean the Graffiti Off My Walls? — No Infringement Intended Podcast

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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

Pillsbury - Internet & Social Media Law Blog

Taylor’s Version: A “Mastermind” in IP Ownership

After years of contractual entanglements, public disputes and strategic reinvention, Taylor Swift has achieved something few global recording artists have: She now owns the master recordings of her entire musical catalog....more

McDermott Will & Emery

Running on Empty: ‘Stang’ With No Anthropomorphic Characteristics Isn’t Copyrightable Character

The US Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit affirmed a district court’s denial of copyright protection for a car that had a name but no anthropomorphic or protectable characteristics. Carroll Shelby Licensing, Inc. v....more

Cooley LLP

Class Dismissed? Representative Claims in Getty v. Stability AI

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Earlier this year, the English High Court considered an application for strike out of a representative action in the ongoing dispute between Getty and Stability AI. The case is at the intersection of intellectual property...more

Vondran Legal

Did you get a GibbsCAM software infringement letter?

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You may have recently received a letter from a Texas law firm of Daniels and Trednick. This company has a strong presence in handling software piracy cases. GibbsCam is one of the products they enforce as far as intellectual...more

Clark Hill PLC

Surprise, Surprise: The “Sad Beige Lawsuit” ends

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The high-profile “Sad Beige Lawsuit” has ended between two prominent social media influencers, which begged the question, can you protect a personal “aesthetic” or “vibe?” On May 28, influencer Sydney Nicole Gifford...more

Procopio, Cory, Hargreaves & Savitch LLP

Gone from Copyright: Ninth Circuit Rejects Copyright Protection for Iconic “Eleanor” Shelby Mustang

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

Kaufman & Canoles

K&C Sports & Entertainment Law Weekly Roundup - May 2025 #4

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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

Mayer Brown

Generative AI and Copyright Law, Part Two: Fair Use and Infringement Risks

Mayer Brown on

As generative AI transforms the way businesses operate, understanding copyright risks has never been more critical. In this episode, host Julian Dibbell sits down with Rich Assmus and Brian Nolan, partners in our Intellectual...more

International Lawyers Network

Different Kinds of Cool That Still Just Don’t Register: Why Birkenstocks & Melted Rink Ice (AKA Water) Aren’t Copyrightable

In 2015, the Wall Street Journal observed why Birkenstock sandals might be considered cool: “It’s a taboo thing,” said New York-based stylist Brian Coats, who dresses Jimmy Fallon....more

McDermott Will & Emery

No Protectable Code: No Literal or Nonliteral Copying

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The US Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit affirmed a district court’s ruling that a plaintiff failed to establish copyright protection for its software platforms, drawing a distinction between “literal” copying (direct...more

Ervin Cohen & Jessup LLP

Kadrey v. Meta: The First Major Test of Fair Use in the Age of Generative AI

On May 1, 2025, a federal courtroom in San Francisco became ground zero for one of the most consequential copyright hearings in recent memory. The three hour hearing in Kadrey v. Meta Platforms marked the first major judicial...more

Troutman Pepper Locke

Can Tattoos Be Copyrighted? The Legal Battle Over Mike Tyson's Iconic Ink — No Infringement Intended Podcast

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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

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