Venice, CA – California Apparel News details Doniger / Burroughs’s recent trial victory over Urban Outfitters: http://www.apparelnews.net/news/2015/mar/12/unicolors-wins-another-copyright-infringement-case/
Doniger / Burroughs Prevails at Trial against Urban Outfitters – Jury Finds Willful Infringement
Los Angeles, CA – The jury returned a verdict yesterday in the heavily-litigated case styled Unicolors, Inc. v. Urban Outfitters, Inc.
Unicolors, a fabric designer, is represented by Doniger / Burroughs in that action.
Before trial commenced, the Court granted a summary adjudication motion filed by Doniger / Burroughs that established that Urban Outfitters had infringed Unicolors’ copyrights in a unique fabric design by selling garments bearing a knock-off design. At trial, the jury was to consider the damages caused by Urban Outfitters’ infringement, and whether Urban Outfitters’ infringement was willful. The jury found against Urban Outfitters on both issues. The jury found that Urban Outfitters’ infringement was willful – that Urban Outfitters knew that it was committing copyright infringement when it engaged in the misconduct at issue. The jury also awarded $164,400.00 in damages against defendants.
Urban Outfitters had previously ignored a cease and desist letter sent by Unicolors, and at no time before trial did Urban Outfitters make a settlement offer. During trial, it argued that damages could not possibly be more than $475.00.
The only issue remaining in the case is Unicolors’ motion for attorneys’ fees.
Unicolors is represented by Scott A. Burroughs, Trevor W. Barrett, and Stephen M. Doniger of Doniger / Burroughs.
Urban Outfitters is represented by Miles D. Scully and Tara L. Martin of Gordon & Rees.
Doniger / Burroughs Client Prevails on Summary Judgment against Urban Outfitters in Fashion Law Dispute
Venice, CA – A major ruling was issued yesterday in a fashion law dispute currently pending in Los Angeles. Unicolors, a textile design company represented by Doniger / Burroughs, brought a motion for summary judgment against Urban Outfitters, a garment ‘designer,’ retailer, and repeat copyright infringer. The motion requested that the Court find as a matter of law that Urban Outfitters had created, imported, and distributed garments bearing a textile design that infringed Unicolors’ rights in one of its proprietary textile designs. Urban Outfitters zealously opposed the motion, but the Court rejected Urban Outfitters’ various positions and ruled in favor of Unicolors, finding that Urban Outfitters was liable for copyright infringement.
This finding echoed a prior ruling against Urban Outfitters. Less than three years ago, Urban Outfitters was found liable by the Court for copyright infringement in a case brought by another Doniger / Burroughs client.
Urban Outfitters’ sordid track record reveals that it does not care much for the intellectual property rights of others. The case will now proceed to trial on the issue of damages.
Unicolors is represented by Scott A. Burroughs and Trevor W. Barrett of Doniger / Burroughs.
Urban Outfitters is represented by Tara L. Martin and Miles D. Scully of Gordon & Rees.
For more information, contact Grace Garcia at (310) 590-1820.