Launching an advertisement, production, or publication without obtaining the necessary third-party intellectual property (IP) rights can have costly consequences. A jury recently awarded the Beastie Boys and related plaintiffs $1.7 million in a lawsuit against Monster Energy for using Beastie Boys music and references to the Beastie Boys in a promotional video on Monster’s website without proper permission after finding Monster Energy’s actions to be willful copyright infringement and a false endorsement under the Lanham Act. The court recently denied Monster Energy’s post-trial motions for judgment as a matter of law, a new trial, and a reduction in damages. The Beastie Boys are now seeking an additional $2.4 million in attorneys’ fees and costs. Capitol Records, LLC, and Universal-Polygram International Publishing, Inc., have now sued Monster Energy in a related case.
Continue Reading Beastie Boys Win $1.7 Million Verdict, Underscoring the Importance of Clearing IP Rights
Duke U. Scores Win Against The Duke
By Jessie F. Beeber & Sarah S. Park on
We reported on July 16, 2014 that John Wayne Enterprises, LLC (“JWE”), the entity owning the rights to the name, image, and likeness of John Wayne, a.k.a. The Duke, had sued Duke University in California federal court to protect JWE’s right to market alcohol products with the mark “Duke” or “Duke John Wayne.” Duke University…