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Right of Publicity

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Intellectual Property and TechnologyRight of Publicity

Our Right of Publicity practice helps celebrities, athletes, and brands protect and monetize personality rights through licensing, enforcement, and defense of right of publicity claims.

Protecting Personal Brand Value

The right of publicity protects individuals' ability to control commercial use of their name, image, likeness, voice, and other aspects of personal identity. MC Law's Right of Publicity practice helps individuals protect and monetize these valuable rights while helping businesses use personality rights lawfully.

Talent Representation

We represent celebrities, athletes, influencers, and their estates in protecting and monetizing publicity rights. We advise on endorsement deals, licensing arrangements, unauthorized use claims, and posthumous rights management.

Brand and Advertiser Representation

We help brands and advertisers use personality rights lawfully. We advise on clearance and licensing, structure endorsement agreements, and develop compliant marketing campaigns.

Litigation

When unauthorized use occurs, we pursue remedies vigorously. We litigate right of publicity claims in state and federal courts, seeking injunctions, damages, and disgorgement.

Services in this practice

Right of Publicity - LitigationRight of Publicity - LicensingRight of Publicity - Counseling

Frequently asked questions

Depending on the state, protectable elements include name, image, likeness, voice, signature, and other recognizable attributes. Protection scope varies by jurisdiction.

Rights exist throughout life. Posthumous rights vary by state from no protection to 100 years after death. Estate planning should account for these variations.

Yes, commercial use typically requires consent, whether for celebrities or ordinary individuals. Proper releases should be obtained before use.

Publicity rights protect commercial value—the right to profit from commercial use. Privacy rights protect against unwanted intrusion and disclosure.

Newsworthy and editorial uses are generally protected by the First Amendment. However, the line between editorial and commercial use can be unclear.

AI-generated likenesses likely implicate publicity rights. Some states are specifically addressing these technologies. Treat AI likenesses like other likeness uses.

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Our team

People in this practice

NM
Nidhi Majethia
Paralegal
Washington, D.C.
CS
Casey Scott McKay
Attorney
Washington, D.C.
Document products

Related document products

Order attorney-drafted documents related to this practice.

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Trademark Registration

Trademark Registration — Economy Package

A comprehensive clearance search plus preparation and filing of one federal trademark application.

$850Order
Trademark Registration

Trademark Registration — Business Package

Clearance, preparation, and filing, plus responses to routine (non-substantive) Office Actions.

$1,250Order
Trademark Registration

Trademark Registration — Professional Package

Full-service prosecution from filing through registration, including substantive Office Action responses.

$2,445Order
Copyright

Copyright Security Agreement (Short Form)

A short-form agreement providing a security interest in copyrighted works as collateral for a loan or other financial arrangement.

$349Order
Copyright

Direct Hire Termination Agreement

An agreement used to formalize the termination of a direct hire employee, including provisions for confidentiality, intellectual property, and severance.

$299Order
Copyright

DMCA Complaint (Takedown Notice)

A notice sent to a service provider under the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA), requesting the removal of infringing content hosted on their platform.

$199Order
Copyright

Copyright Assignment Agreement (Short Form)

A simplified agreement used to transfer ownership of a copyright from one party to another, including details such as rights transferred, payment, and effective date.

$299Order
Copyright

Copyright License Agreement (Pro-Licensee)

An agreement where the copyright owner grants a licensee the right to use the copyrighted material under specified terms, including usage scope, duration, and payment.

$399Order
Copyright

Copyright License Agreement (Pro-Licensor)

An agreement where the licensor grants the licensee permission to use the copyrighted material, outlining the terms, conditions, and compensation for the license.

$399Order
Copyright

Copyright Litigation (Defendant's Similar Work): Defendant's Document Requests

A set of document requests served by the defendant in a copyright litigation case involving a similar work, asking the plaintiff to provide specific documents relevant to the case.

$199Order

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