Entertainment Law Matters

Using a famous name in your URL can lead to more traffic to your website.  But it can also lead to lawsuits.  A recent New York case provides a good example.  On February 28, a New York federal court ruled in favor of Donald Trump (“Trump”) and found the registrant and user of the Internet domain names trumpbudhabi.com, trumpbeijing.com, trumpindia.com and trumpmumbai.com (collectively, the “Domain Names”) liable for violation of the Anti-Cybersquatting Consumer Protection Act (the “ACPA”).  The full opinion can be read here. Continue reading »

Deckers Outdoor Corporation (“Deckers”) has accused the maker of BearPaw boots of copying Deckers’ classic UGG® Australia (“UGG”) shearling boot lines. Deckers’ complaint, filed in federal court in California, alleges that Tom Romeo and Romeo & Juliette, Inc., doing business as BearPaw, Inc. (“BearPaw”) are liable for federal trade dress infringement and dilution, unfair competition, and state and common law unfair competition claims.  Deckers joins other fashion-focused plaintiffs that seek to rely on trade dress as a means of protecting their designs against alleged copyists and knock-off artists. Continue reading »