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Celebrities

Drug Promotion on Social Media By Consumers: Can It Be Regulated?

This post first appeared on Goldberg Segalla’s Life Science Matters blog. 

Kim Kardashian recently used social media to promote the use of a prescription drug. In her Instagram post, Ms. Kardashian told her followers that a physician recommended use of the drug Diclegis to alleviate her symptoms of morning sickness. Ms. Kardashian is not the only public figure to recently deal with morning sickness as the Duchess of Cambridge also dealt with this issue, reported here.

Having experienced positive results following the use of …

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Concussions

CFL Adding Additional Concussion Testing Protocol to Sideline Reviews

Like many other professional sports leagues, the Canadian Football League (CFL) is currently facing litigation over concussion-related injuries as previously addressed in this post. 

Potentially as a response to both litigation and increasing public awareness of the long-term effects of concussions, the CFL has recently announced that it will be adding the King-Devick test to its sideline testing protocols for suspected concussions.  The King-Devick test is touted as a two-minute test that can be administered by non-medical personnel and measures a potentially-concussed player’s response …

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Intellectual Property, Copyright, and Trademark / Trademark

Snoop Dogg Slapped With Copyright Infringement Lawsuit

Calvin Broadus aka Snoop Dogg is faced with a copyright infringement suit brought by Fuzzy Logic Productions.

According to court papers, Fuzzy Logic accused Snoop Dogg, JT the Bigga Figga, and their streaming app TrapFlix for making unauthorized sequels to “Snow and tha Bluff,” which Fuzzy Logic released in June 2012.  Based loosely on experience of Curtis Snow, a real resident of the Bluff — Atlanta’s roughest neighborhood — the film portrays a drug dealer’s life.

Fuzzy Logic further claimed that Snoop Dogg violated …

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Celebrities / Litigation

Doherty Sues Management Team Over Breast Cancer Diagnosis

Former “Beverly Hills 90210” star, Shannen Doherty, revealed Wednesday that she has breast cancer and filed a lawsuit against her old business management team for allowing her health insurance to lapse.

The lawsuit alleges that her former business managers, Tanner Mainstain Glynn & Johnson LLP, failed to perform critical tasks under their agreement including paying her health insurance premium for 2014. It was not until after the firm terminated their relationship in February of 2014 that Doherty learned her insurance policy with the Screen Actors …

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General

American Dream Finally a Reality? NJ Mega-Mall Project Receives Financing Approval

More than ten years ago, the New Jersey Sports and Exposition Authority approved a development project plan to construct a 2.9 million square foot, state-of-the-art mega-mall, then named Xanadu, in East Rutherford at the Meadowlands Sports Complex . Since then, the project has yielded only controversy, lawsuits, and postponements. After changes in its name, developer, and financial plan, the project may finally be slated for completion. The New Jersey Sports and Exposition Authority has approved a plan to issue up to $350 million in bonds …

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NCAA

NLRB Ends Northwestern Football Players’ Attempt at Unionization

A unanimous decision by the National Labor Relations Board on Monday ended the Northwestern University scholarship football players’ bid to unionize without addressing the key issue that has plagued collegiate athletics for so many years: whether college athletes are employees and entitled to such compensation.

The case was brought before the five-member board for review after an NLRB regional director found that the football players who put in “more hours than ‘many undisputed full-time employees’ work” are employees and thus can unionize. According to the …

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Concussions

More ex-NFL Players Oppose the Concussion Settlement

Ten former NFL players filed their brief opposing the NFL’s settlement plan that is now before the Third Circuit Court of Appeals for review, citing that the plan unfairly excluded players who have yet to be diagnosed with CTE, a degenerative brain condition.

The opposing players argue that the plan overlooks a potential 19,000 players who are likely to develop neurological diseases but have yet to be diagnosed with any. A lawyer for the players said, “It is the height of hypocrisy for the parties …

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Celebrities / NBA

Don’t Approach MJ for Endorsement Deal Unless You’ve Got $10M in Your Pocket

Michael Jordan is a man who may not be an expert in running a basketball team but seems to know how to capitalize on his name, image, or likeness.

Jordan’s advisor Estee Portnoy testified that for a business proposal to reach Jordan’s desk, the deal must be at least $10 million. Portnoy also said that rather than signing on a one-time use, Jordan typically bundles up his image rights and endorsements into a package to protect the value of his brand.

Portnoy testified on …

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Litigation / NBA

The First Domino: Donald Sterling Files Suit Over 2014 Release of Audio Recordings

The saga of former Los Angeles Clippers owner Donald Sterling took another turn on Friday when he filed a lawsuit against TMZ Productions Inc. and V. Stiviano, his former mistress.

The lawsuit arises out of recordings taken by Stiviano of conversations between she and Sterling in which Sterling made a number of racist comments. One such comment involved him rebuking Stiviano for posing in a photograph with former NBA star Magic Johnson. The conversations occurred in September 2013, and were released in April 2014. Sterling …

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Copyright

Her Hips Don’t Lie, But Someone Does: Judge Dismisses Lawsuit Over Shakira Song Due To Fake Evidence

On Monday, August 10, a New York federal judge tossed a copyright infringement case brought against Sony over Shakira’s hit song “Loca.”

U.S. District Judge Alvin K. Hellerstein had previously ruled against Sony, finding that “Loca” contained segments that were clearly copied from a song by Dominican artist Ramon Arias Vasquez, “Loca con su Tiguere.”  After losing the initial trial, Sony claimed that the plaintiff had fabricated a cassette tape containing the Vasquez song in an attempt to prove copyright infringement.

Judge Hellerstein, citing “a …

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