Legal News

Bratz gets a legal makeover

By Jonathan Hayter

MGA Entertainment, the maker of Bratz dolls, has replaced its legal counsel in preparation for the second phase of a copyright infringement trial against Mattel Inc.

On Friday, MGA retained Patricia Glaser, a partner at Los Angeles-based Glaser Weil Fink Jacobs & Shapiro, and Russell Frackman, a partner at Mitchell Silberberg & Knupp.
Both have represented MGA before.

Thomas Nolan, a partner in the Los Angeles office of Skadden Arps Slate Meagher & Flom, who represented MGA in the first phase of the trial, said the switch had nothing to do with the outcome of the case. Last summer, a federal jury found that MGA had stolen the idea for the Bratz doll from Mattel, which makes Barbie dolls. The jury awarded Mattel $100 million.

Last month, the judge in the case granted Mattel a permanent injunction that keeps MGA from manufacturing the dolls and ordered that the dolls be removed from store shelves.
In the second phase of the trial, which starts later this year, Mattel is claiming MGA stole trade secrets, and MGA is claiming Mattel made dolls that look like Bratz dolls.
 
See The Daily Journal's coverage.

Full post as published by Legal Pad | LA on January 13, 2009 (boomark / email).