Categories
Sports Law

Heitner Legal Secures Landmark Victory for NBA Agent Aaron Turner in Arbitration Against Derrick Jones Jr.

At Heitner Legal, P.L.L.C., we are thrilled to announce a significant win for our client, Aaron Turner, in a high-stakes arbitration proceeding under the National Basketball Players Association (NBPA) Regulations Governing Player Agents. On September 10, 2025, Arbitrator Jeffrey Mishkin issued a Final Award in favor of Mr. Turner, granting him full entitlement to his […]

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Sports Law Trademarks

Bill Belichick’s Trademark Troubles: A Lesson in Due Diligence

Former New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick’s recent foray into trademark applications has hit some significant roadblocks, providing a valuable case study in why proper trademark due diligence and experienced legal counsel are essential for successful brand protection. The Applications That Didn’t Make the Cut Belichick, through his company TCE Rights Management LLC, filed […]

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Trademarks

Trademark Tuesday: New Registrations Showcase Innovation Across Industries

Welcome to this week’s Trademark Tuesday! We’re excited to highlight our clients’ latest trademark registrations that demonstrate the diverse range of businesses securing their intellectual property rights. From cutting-edge digital entertainment to essential services, this week’s featured registrations show how trademark protection serves businesses across every sector. Featured New Trademark Registrations SUPERPHASED – Reg. No. […]

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Trademarks

Protecting Your Trademark: How to Identify and Avoid USPTO Scams

If you’ve recently filed a trademark application, you may have received what appears to be an official notice requesting payment for “publication fees” or similar services. Stop before you pay. These documents are likely scams designed to exploit trademark applicants who are unfamiliar with the legitimate USPTO process. The Reality of Trademark Scams Trademark scams […]

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Trademarks

#TrademarkTuesday: Three Diverse Brands Secure Federal Protection

Welcome to another edition of Trademark Tuesday! This week, we’re celebrating three exciting trademark registrations that showcase the diversity of innovation in today’s marketplace. From virtual entertainment to travel services to music technology, these newly registered marks represent the cutting edge of their respective industries. HYPERREAL: Pioneering Virtual Entertainment Registration No. 7,922,182 | HYPERREAL DIGITAL, […]

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Copyright

Don’t Be Fooled: Prepared Food Photos is Back as Rockefeller Photos – And More Aggressive Than Ever

If you’ve been in the restaurant, food service, or digital marketing industry for any length of time, you’ve likely heard of Prepared Food Photos – the notorious copyright enforcement entity that has sent thousands of demand letters and filed numerous lawsuits against businesses for alleged unauthorized use of food photography. Many business owners and their […]

Categories
Copyright

The DudeWithSign Copyright Battle: When Meme Culture Meets Corporate Marketing

A high-stakes lawsuit reveals the complex intersection of social media fame, copyright law, and unauthorized commercial use In a case that highlights the evolving challenges of intellectual property in the digital age, FJerry LLC—the company behind the wildly popular “DudeWithSign” social media phenomenon—has filed a federal lawsuit against Cookie Enterprises, Inc. for allegedly copying their […]

Categories
Sports Law Torts

When Celebrity Meets Real Estate: Analyzing the Shohei Ohtani Hawaii Development Lawsuit

In a stunning intersection of celebrity sports law and luxury real estate litigation, a Hawaii state court complaint filed on August 8, 2025, has thrust Los Angeles Dodgers superstar Shohei Ohtani and his agent Nez Balelo into a complex legal battle involving tortious interference and unjust enrichment claims. The case, filed in Hawaii’s First Circuit […]

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Trademarks

Trademark Tuesday: Celebrating Client Success Stories from August 12, 2025

Welcome to the inaugural edition of Trademark Tuesday – our new weekly series celebrating the trademark registrations that crossed the finish line each Tuesday. Weekly, we will showcase the brands and businesses that have achieved federal trademark protection, highlighting the innovation, creativity, and strategic thinking behind each successful registration. This week marks an especially exciting […]

Categories
Sports Law Trademarks

When Universities Collide: The Baylor vs. Boston University Trademark Battle Over Interlocking “BU” Designs

In a fascinating intersection of intellectual property and sports law, Baylor University has filed a federal trademark infringement lawsuit against Boston University, challenging Boston’s use of an interlocking “BU” design that Baylor claims is “essentially identical” to its own federally registered trademark. Filed in the Western District of Texas on August 8, 2025, this case […]

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Trademarks

Why Timely Trademark Renewal Is Critical: Protecting Your Brand and Achieving Incontestability

Your trademark registration represents years of brand building, customer recognition, and business investment. Yet many business owners don’t realize that failing to renew their trademark registration on time can result in losing these valuable rights entirely. Understanding the USPTO’s renewal requirements and the strategic advantage of seeking incontestability during your first renewal can be the […]

Categories
Trademarks

Protecting Innovation and Brand Identity: Heitner Legal’s 2025 Trademark Success Stories

In the rapidly evolving landscape of business and entertainment, protecting your brand identity has never been more crucial. At Heitner Legal, we’ve had the privilege of helping diverse clients across industries secure valuable trademark registrations throughout 2025, each representing not just legal protection but a strategic investment in their future success. Building Brand Fortress: Our […]