Intellectual Property and Trade Secret Litigation
The firm’s lawyers have extensive experience litigating intellectual property matters, including copyright, trademark, unfair competition, trade secret, and rights of publicity and privacy.
Our victories include:
- Obtained summary judgment and consent judgment prohibiting game developer from promoting and distributing unauthorized mobile game of Sabacc, an element of the Star Wars franchise.
- Secured dismissal with prejudice in case of first impression regarding the transfer of ownership and work-for-hire provisions of the U.S. Copyright Act in a ruling that a videotaped recording cannot satisfy the Act’s signed writing requirements.
- Represented start-up venture, founders, and investors in alleged partnership, trade secret, and idea misappropriation case involving an automated shot tracking device for golf. Obtained dismissal of all intellectual property and trade secret claims and favorable settlement on remaining claims after discovery.
- Represented foreign publishing societies and publishers in successfully objecting to proposed settlement in the well-known Google Books class action. The court specifically cited Shapiro Arato’s objections in its ruling rejecting the proposed settlement.
- Won summary judgment for defendants in rare ruling that use of a 35-second sample in a sound recording by the artist Drake was a fair use.
- Won rare ruling barring plaintiff from recovering monetary damages for alleged copyright infringement. The court rejected contrary rulings and held that even if plaintiff had a timely claim under the “discovery rule,” plaintiff was barred from obtaining a remedy for infringements occurring more than three years before suit was filed.