North America: Media, Telecoms, IT, Entertainment

Taylor Swift faces a trademark dispute over her album title "The Life of a Showgirl" with performer Maren Flagg, who holds a 12-year registration for "Confessions of a Showgirl." The case centers on reverse confusion claims and whether Swift's global fame could overwhelm Flagg's earlier trademark rights, raising questions about brand dilution and the commercial impact of similar marks in the entertainment industry.

When Taylor Swift released her album 'The Life of a Showgirl,' she faced a trademark infringement lawsuit from Maren Flagg, who claimed the title violated her registered trademark CONFESSIONS OF A SHOWGIRL. The case explores the critical boundary between artistic expression and commercial trademark use, particularly when musical artists transform album releases into merchandise-driven business ventures.

El viaje de un músico desde su infancia tocando la percusión hasta la formación de Nirvana, una banda de rock progresivo en la década de 1970, explora cómo la música y el derecho se entrelazaron a través de los derechos de autor y la propiedad intelectual. La narración examina las difíciles decisiones entre la pasión artística y la carrera profesional, revelando cómo caminos aparentemente divergentes pueden, en última instancia, converger.

On June 30, 2026, the National Institutes of Health announced that its All of Us Research Program has become the world’s largest integrated genomic and electronic health record database, with data...

When a committee or affiliate breaks away from its parent organization, can it continue using the original entity's trademarks? A federal court decision in USA Masters Weightlifting v. USA Weightlifting addresses whether departing groups automatically inherit trademark rights and institutional legitimacy, examining defenses of genericness, fair use, and fraud in the context of organizational splits.

Aaron Tantleff is a legal professional at Foley & Lardner LLP. His contact information and professional headshot are featured on the firm's website, providing direct access to his email address for professional inquiries.

Taylor Swift faces a trademark dispute over her album title "The Life of a Showgirl" with performer Maren Flagg, who holds a 12-year registration for "Confessions of a Showgirl." The case centers on reverse confusion claims and whether Swift's global fame could overwhelm Flagg's earlier trademark rights, raising questions about brand dilution and the commercial impact of similar marks in the entertainment industry.

As artificial intelligence rapidly advances its ability to create realistic deepfakes of political figures, a complex patchwork of state laws has emerged to regulate their use in campaign advertising. Organizations seeking to leverage AI-generated content in political messaging must navigate over 30 different state regulatory frameworks, each with distinct requirements for disclaimers, prohibitions, and enforcement mechanisms that could expose them to penalties ranging from fines to felony charges.

The U.S. Federal Communications Commission has reformed foreign ownership rules and filing processes for petitions for declaratory ruling, codifying definitions and procedures that govern disclosure and approval processes for foreign ownership of FCC license holders. These changes aim to promote efficient processing times and reduce regulatory uncertainty for applicants seeking foreign ownership approval.

The U.S. Supreme Court has fundamentally altered the structure of federal agency independence by ruling that the President can fire FTC Commissioners at will, overturning nearly 90 years of precedent. This landmark decision eliminates the traditional "for cause" removal protections that had insulated the Federal Trade Commission from direct presidential control. The ruling raises critical questions about how this shift in executive power will impact the consistency and predictability of advertising regulati

Washington State's Commercial Electronic Mail Act (CEMA) has undergone significant changes following the Brown v. Old Navy decision and subsequent legislative amendments. Recent court rulings are now addressing critical questions about federal jurisdiction, preemption defenses, and constitutional challenges that will shape the future of CEMA litigation for companies doing business with Washington residents.

A growing wave of class actions—like the new suit against Gymshark—targets brands that use influencers without clearly disclosing paid relationships, alleging that “authentic” posts were actually sponsored ads...