News & Events

Partner Rebecca Williams and Appellate Partner, Diane Tutt recently prevailed on a motion for summary judgment in a IP trademark case. The case involved a false advertising claim under the Federal Lanham Act, contributory false advertising, and a claim under the Florida Deceptive and Unfair Trade Practices Act (FDUTPA).  Plaintiff was claiming that two (2) advertising documents disseminated by codefendant which we played a role in contributing to and which included our logo and company name, and for which Plaintiff was claiming joint and several liability, were literally false, false by necessary implication or misleading in violation of the Lanham Act and FDUTPA.  Under the Lanham Act, Plaintiff just has to prove that the Defendants had gross revenues and then the burden is on the Defendants to prove all deductions, including all costs of sales, allocable expenses, and other factors besides the allegedly false advertising that caused the Defendants' increase in revenues.  As such, Plaintiff was seeking disgorgement of all of profits allegedly attributable to the false advertising of tens of millions of dollars.   

Miles A. McGrane, IV, a Partner in our Hollywood Office, has recently been appointed by the Chief Judge of the Seventeenth Judicial Circuit, to serve as Chair of the Local Professionalism Panel.  In 2023, the Florida Supreme Court adopted the Code for Resolving Professionalism Referrals and directed the Chief Judge of each circuit to create a local professionalism panel.  The purpose of the Panel is to informally resolve referrals of claimed unprofessional conduct by lawyers practicing in the Seventeenth Judicial Circuit. The Panel is to promote adherence to the Standards of Professionalism and to receive, screen, and act upon referrals of unprofessional conduct; and address those referrals informally, if possible, or refer those referrals to The Florida Bar for investigation.