Fifty-year-old American rhythm and blues singer Jesse Braham, who uses the stage name Jesse Graham, has filed a copyright infringement lawsuit against 25-year-old singer-songwriter Taylor Swift, claiming that she stole words from a song that he allegedly wrote in 2013 titled Haters Gone Hate for her song Shake It Off, which was released in 2014.

Braham, who is suing for $42 million, said he has ownership of the phrases “haters gone hate” and “playas gone play.”

Braham’s song contains the lyrics: “Haters gone hater, playas gone play/ Watch out for them fakers, they’ll fake you everyday.”

The chorus of Shake It Off contains lyrics such as: “Cause the players gonna play, play, play, play, play/ And the haters gonna hate, hate, hate, hate, hate.” Another line of the song says: “And the fakers gonna fake, fake, fake, fake, fake.”

The video for Shake It Off has been viewed more than 1.1 billion times on Youtube. The song also topped music charts all over the world and landed the number two spot in the United Kingdom.

Our attorneys at Gagnon, Peacock & Vereeke, P.C., who cater to clients in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex and throughout the state of Texas, provide legal representation for individuals with intellectual property issues such as copyright, patent, or trademark infringement. Call our offices today at (214) 824-1414 to discuss your claim with one of our attorneys.

Central Texas barbecue company The Salt Lick, which has locations in Round Rock and Driftwood is suing Georgia-based Salt Lick Sausage Co. for violation of the former company’s trademark properties.

In the lawsuit, Salt Lick argues that the Salt Lick Sausage Co.’s use of the term “salt lick” was in fact in violation of the registered trademark by the restaurant, as the term was coined to serve as description for the restaurant’s sauce, noting that the Salt Lick Sausage Co.’s use of the name “will allow defendant to receive the benefit of the goodwill and the recognition build up at great labor and expense by Salt Lick…and will allow defendant to gain acceptance for its goods and services based solely not on defendant’s own merits but also on the reputation and goodwill of Salt Lick”.

If you need a lawyer to handle your intellectual property case in the Dallas-Fort Worth area, do not hesitate to seek the legal services of our attorneys at Gagnon, Peacock & Vereeke, P.C. by calling our offices today at (214) 824-1414.

Multinational skin care, makeup, and body care provider Mary Kay Cosmetics has filed a lawsuit in the United States District Court in Dallas against Austin-based and Google Ventures-backed coupon website RetailMeNot, Inc. (formerly Whaleshark Media), for trademark infringement and fraud, Marketing Land reported on March 18.

According to the lawsuit, RetailMeNot spreads misinformation about coupons and deals for Mary Kay products through misleading search results. Mary Kay products are actually sold through sales representatives and not directly to the public. Representatives have felt pressure by clients to accept the codes, even though they are not legitimate.

Additionally, the claim states that RetailMeNot refuses or is slow to removed expired codes and deals, likely because the search results for such codes generates high traffic to the site.

If you or your company has an intellectual property dispute in the Dallas-Fort Worth area, you can count on the experienced attorneys of Gagnon, Peacock & Vereeke, P.C., to offer critical legal advice and diligent representation. Call our offices at (214) 824-1414 today to learn how we may work on behalf of your business’s rights and interests.

Fifty-four-year-old Dallas attorney Andrew Lee Siegel is currently free on bond after pleading guilty in a $1.6 million vodka investment scam, which he may face 25 years in prison for, The Eagle reported on January 7.

Siegel is scheduled to be sentenced at a later date in 2015 after his admission of guilt to the charge of mail fraud. Siegel also pleaded guilty to a charge of copyright infringement in July 2014, according to reports.

Siegel was able to build multiple companies specializing in manufacturing and bottling vodka starting in 2010. Money he gained from investors totaled $1.6 million, some of which he is accused of spending for personal use.

Our attorneys at Gagnon, Peacock & Vereeke, P.C., in Dallas understand the nuances of intellectual property law and have experience on both sides of courtroom battles. If you are involved in an intellectual property dispute, contact our offices at (214) 824-1414 today to learn how we may advocate on behalf of your rights and interests.

Two Texas companies, Neutron Depot LLC and DepotWeb Inc., filed a lawsuit against Underground Elephant Inc. on Friday, April 11, in the Houston Division of the United States District Court for the Southern District of Texas on the grounds of unfair competition and trademark infringement.

According to the lawsuit, the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office allowed the registry of the mark “Insurance Depot” on July 5, 1994 to CSi Agency Services, Inc.

Neutron and DepotWeb said they have outstanding agreements with CSi that allow them to use the trademark and to sue other individuals or companies that make use of this mark without permission.

The plaintiffs claim that Underground Elephant introduced an insurance service that made use of the “Insurance Depot” trademark in the hopes of securing additional business.

At Gagnon, Peacock & Vereeke, P.C., our attorneys handle cases and provide legal representation for clients in a wide range of intellectual property disputes, and we are ready to help you navigate this incredibly complex legal field. Call our offices today at (214) 824-1414 to learn more about what our experienced Dallas team can do to help you.