I ♡ Trademarks NewsletterIssue #465
Bri Van Til | January 27, 2026
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Art Attack
An aerial photographer successfully sued a business for using his photo of Manhattan on their website and for removing the watermark.
An artist has been awarded over $150k after his mural was painted over with another, very similar mural. I guess there’s no brushing off that infringement.
Nikon is suing a lens manufacturer for patent infringement. The case lens itself to some interesting analysis, so check it out.
Note So Original
There’s tons of family drama over trademarks for David and Victoria Beckham’s children’s names. They’re like, if you wannabe the owner of my trademark, you gotta get with my lawyer.
Spotify is suing a shadow music library for allegedly scraping millions of songs from their catalog.
Hundreds of musicians and bands have signed a statement asserting “Stealing isn’t innovation.”
Pharrell Williams is facing a legal battle with former music partner Chad Hugo, who isn’t happy about his royalty payments.
Marks & Recreation
Here’s an analysis of the issue with the VEGAS ATHLETICS trademark we mentioned a few weeks ago.
Patagonia is worried people will confuse it with drag star Pattie Gonia. Do they think she’ll drag their name through the mud? Wait, aren’t they a sporty clothes brand? Isn’t their stuff made for that?
How can colleges support athlete NIL activity without directly paying athletes, and why does that distinction matter for schools?
It’s that time of the year, again: the time when firms post lengthy reminders to their clients not to get sued by the NFL by violating their Superbawl trademarks.
Professional Concerns
Guess who’s hiring legal counsel? You could Champion some Lucky Brand if you got this job at Authentic Brands Group.
If you haven’t heard about this IP paralegal opportunity Yeti want to make sure you see it.
This IP paralegal position makes me think of that famous Beatles song. You know… “Carlton Fields Forever. ” And now that song is stuck in my head. If it’s stuck in yours, too, it’s a sign you need to apply.
Have an open role on your team? Email us at [email protected], and we’ll try to get it in our next newsletter!
Odds & Ends
Famed entrepreneur Mark Cuban says AI is “stupid” but necessary for businesses to succeed. Separately, law firms need to consider how to implement AI in their workflows, too.
Here’s a handy summary of a few entertainment law cases to look for this year.
The 4th Circuit wants videographer Frederick Allen to stop trying to relitigate the case about his Blackbeard video footage, which SCOTUS already determined North Carolina couldn’t be held liable for infringing. They affirmed the only pirate here was Blackbeard.
This article about trade secrets and preparing for litigation is a fabulous resource for existing clients (and a draw for new ones).