Legal News

?Mothers Don?t Lie? and Other Conclusions From the Barbie-Bratz Closings

By Dan Slater

Ending a six-week doll-fight that included a lawyer-squabble over historic hotel rooms, lawyers from Quinn Emanuel and Skadden Arps faced off for the final time yesterday in the case of Mattel v. MGA (a/k/a Barbie v. Bratz) — a litigation that stretches back to 2004. In today’s LAT, David Colker covers the closing arguments.

Mattel, represented by Quinn Emanuel’s John Quinn, accuses MGA of essentially stealing the idea for Bratz dolls, and is trying to seize ownership of the Bratz line. Mattel says Carter Bryant, the designer who sold the Bratz idea to MGA, dreamed up the doll while still under contract with Mattel. MGA says Bryant conceived Bratz between two stints at Mattel. MGA, rep’d by Skadden’s Tom Nolan, denies wrongdoing, and accuses Mattel in a separate suit of copying Bratz. (Before the trial began, Bryant and Mattel reached an undisclosed settlement. Bryant has reportedly earned more than $30 million on the Bratz line.)

“For 40 years Barbie was the only doll in town,” said Skadden’s Nolan (pictured, right) in his closing. “And then Bratz came in and knocked her off her pedestal.”

Quinn (pictured, left) countered that MGA knew of Bryant’s contract when it committed to developing the Bratz line. “They helped him because they needed a successful product,” Quinn said. “MGA was with him every step of the way.”

Nolan, referring to Mattel’s attempt to discredit the honesty of Bryant’s mother and his life partner, both of whom testified that the designer showed them Bratz drawings in 1998, told the jury: “That’s not evidence,” MGA’s Nolan snarled at one point. “That’s drama.” He reportedly added: “Mothers don’t lie.”

Then Quinn: “Mr. Bryant’s mom sees him through the filter of the greatest love you can have for someone. We are saying her testimony should not change yours.”

Full post as published by Law Blog - WSJ.com on July 11, 2008 (boomark / email).