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Browse below for news, legal insights, information on presentations and events, and other resources from the Weintraub Tobin legal team.

The Briefing: Sinking the Rogers Test? What Pepperdine’s Lawsuit Could Mean for Hollywood

Published: June 27, 2025

In this episode of The Briefing, Scott Hervey and Richard Buckley dive into Pepperdine University v. Netflix, a trademark showdown over the use of the name “Waves” in the Netflix series Running Point. After Pepperdine’s attempt to block the series’ release was denied under the Rogers test, the university is back—this time arguing that the Jack Daniel’s Supreme Court decision changes everything.

The Briefing: The Ninth Circuit Puts the Brakes on Eleanor’s Copyright Claim

Published: June 20, 2025

Can a car be a copyrightable character? In Carroll Shelby Licensing v. Halicki, the Ninth Circuit said no — ruling that “Eleanor,” the iconic Mustang from ‘Gone in 60 Seconds,’ lacks the distinctiveness and consistency required for copyright protection.

In this episode of The Briefing, Scott Hervey and Richard Buckley break down the history of the Eleanor litigation, review the district court and Ninth Circuit rulings, and explain what it actually takes for a character to qualify for copyright protection.

Watch this episode on the Weintraub YouTube channel or listen to this podcast episode here.

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The Briefing: Trademark Smoked: The Fall of General Cigar’s COHIBA Registration

Published: May 30, 2025

After nearly 30 years of litigation, a federal court has canceled General Cigar’s U.S. trademarks for COHIBA cigars — all because of a little-known treaty and a Cuban brand once favored by Fidel Castro. What does this mean for U.S. trademark law and the future of the COHIBA brand? Tune in to this week’s episode of The Briefing as Scott Hervey and Jessica Corpuz unpack this high-stakes decision.