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    1. Home
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    3. Erica J. Van LoonPeople
    1. Home
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    3. Erica J. Van LoonPeople

    Erica J. Van Loon

    Partner / Co-Lead, IP in the Metaverse Team


    • Los Angeles
    • Office213.629.6031
    • evanloon@nixonpeabody.com
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    Introduction

    Erica J. Van Loon is an experienced IP trial lawyer. She has a winning track record litigating copyright, trademark, patent, rights of publicity, trade secrets, invasion of privacy, defamation, business interference, and other media and entertainment claims. Erica was named the 2019 Intellectual Property Attorney of the Year by the Los Angeles Business Journal.

    Practice Areas

    Intellectual PropertyNon-Compete & Trade SecretsEntertainment and MediaMusic

    My focus

    I have successfully litigated complex cases in both state and federal courts and on appeal. My experience extends across a wide range of industries, including entertainment and media, apparel and footwear, toys and video games, beauty and personal care, food and beverage, consumer electronics, software applications, hardware, semiconductors, and wireless and telecommunications, among others.

    In addition, I counsel public and private companies and individuals on IP protection, enforcement, and defense strategy.

    I enjoy working with clients to understand the ins and outs of their business in order to tailor a winning legal strategy that also makes business sense.

    Representative experience

    • Won a bench trial for Reuben Klamer, the author of the iconic board game, The Game of Life, on the issue of copyright ownership, which was affirmed unanimously on appeal by the First Circuit. The court was persuaded that plaintiff’s late husband’s work on the prototype of the game was a work for hire for Mr. Klamer. The court held unequivocally that Mr. Klamer was the author of the game and the owner of the copyright on it.
    • Represented Correlated Magnetics Research, LLC v. Logitech in a patent infringement matter concerning magnet technology used for iPad cases. The case settled favorably on the eve of discovery. Correlated Magnetic Research, LLC v. Logitech, Inc. (N.D. Cal.)
    • Represented Defendant Target Corporation and its manufacturers in a patent infringement matter concerning exercise equipment. The matter settled favorably.
    • Represented Vanessa Hudgens, an American actress, entrepreneur, and singer, in a suit filed against SBLA Beauty relating to violations of rights of publicity, unfair competition, and false advertising. Achieved amicable early settlement. Vanessa Hudgens v. SBLA Inc. et al. (C.D. Cal.)
    • Won summary judgment for British Broadcasting Corporation and affiliated entities in two lawsuits involving trademark infringement and dilution of the famous Dancing with The Stars trademarks and breach of and interference with BBC’s contracts with its professional dancers by defendants’ competing live dance shows. Won partial summary judgment for plaintiffs, including a complete dismissal of defendants’ contract interference and trademark cancellation counterclaims and dismissal of defendants’ affirmative defenses of trademark genericism and abandonment. Gutting of defendants’ claims and defenses on summary judgment led to the matter being resolved with a Consent Judgment and Permanent Injunction against defendants.
    • Defended DECA International Corp. and GolfzonDECA in a patent suit filed by SkyHawke Technologies, LLC, involving 11 patents related to golf GPS devices. Obtained a complete dismissal with prejudice after winning favorable claim construction rulings finding 9 patents invalid or non-infringed. SkyHawke Technologies, LLC et al v. GolfzonDeca, Inc. et al. (CDCA)
    • Defended DECA International Corp. and GolfzonDECA, in a false advertising suit filed by SkyHawke Technologies, LLC, related to golf GPS devices. Won motion to dismiss, dismissing 15 of 21 claims pleaded. The case settled on favorable terms on the eve of trial. SkyHawke Technologies, LLC et al v. GolfzonDeca, Inc. et al (CDCA)
    • Won partial summary judgment for Conan O’Brien, his production company, head writer, and the TBS network, finding no copyright infringement as to certain monologue jokes used on the Conan O’Brien show.
    • Won summary judgment for Roche invalidating three Stanford HIV test patents for obviousness, ending Stanford’s multimillion dollar patent infringement suit. Won the case on appeal to the Federal Circuit and before the en banc court on rehearing, and won decisive victory in favor of Roche in the U.S. Supreme Court.
    • Won a targeted summary judgment of non-willfulness for VIZIO against Razor USA, LLC in a trademark infringement and dilution matter. The summary judgment victory propelled the case to settle on the eve of trial, with plaintiff dropping its damages claim and agreeing to buy VIZIO’s trademarks.
    • Won summary judgment for Nero against JVC Kenwood, finding nine JVC optical disc patents noninfringed due to patent exhaustion and express release. The Federal Circuit affirmed the summary judgment in Nero’s favor.
    • Won summary judgment for plaintiff authors against executives of the Los Angeles Unified School District for copyright infringement and contributory copyright infringement.
    • Achieved complete dismissal for Lionsgate and Morgan Creek and its producers and writers in a copyright and trademark infringement matter concerning the Tupac Shakur biopic film, All Eyez On Me. Plaintiff dismissed the suit after receiving a Rule 11 Motion for sanctions for filing and continuing to litigate a frivolous suit.
    • Won TTAB Appeal for Tropicana Las Vegas reversing examiner’s refusal to register mark BACIO for restaurant services on the ground that it was confusingly similar to the registered mark KISS for the iconic band’s restaurant.
    • Achieved multiple consent judgments and permanent injunctions for SHFL Entertainment, Inc. against competitors in the casino and online gaming industries who infringed SHFL’s copyrights, trademarks, and patents.
    • Achieved injunction and substantial compensation on the eve of trial against competitor in the plush toy industry for violating the trade dress of client’s core product line.
    • Won defense victory for Nike in its landmark trademark case against Adidas over Nike’s right to use two stripes on athletic apparel; Adidas filed a broad “covenant not to sue” releasing Nike from all alleged past and present trademark claims, and committing not to sue Nike over any two-striped athletic apparel or shoes throughout the United States.
    • Achieved no-money settlement for car parts retailer in hard-fought suit brought by famous car maker involving numerous design patents and trademarks.
    • Successfully enforced Harley-Davidson’s famous Bar & Shield trademarks against competitors in the insurance industry.

    Looking ahead

    As Web3, the Metaverse and NFT offerings continue to evolve, I am ready to help clients successfully handle IP infringement, misappropriation of trade secrets and publicity rights, and privacy matters in this developing landscape.

    Insights

    Presentations

    • “Navigating Fair Use: A Survey of Today’s Legal Landscape,” Nixon Peabody 2023 California MCLE Virtual Seminar, January 19, 2023
    • “Causation Pitfalls for Experts in Intellectual Property Matters,” LAIPLA Spring Seminar Retreat, May 22, 2022
    • “Intellectual Property Rights in the Metaverse,” Spring Copyright and Trademark Program – Intellectual Property Rights in the Metaverse, April 26, 2022 (Moderator)
    • “Best Practices for Creators and Sharers of IP Protected Works on Social Media,” Korea Trade-Investment Promotion Agency (KOTRA), Webinar, March 18, 2022
    • “Trademark Law Basics,” Bet Tzedek Legal Services and SIPA Entrepreneur Training Program, January 11, 2022
    • “Fun, Games & Legal Claims: Exploring the Intersection of Copyright in Video Games,” The Copyright Society of the USA Midwinter Meeting, Feb. 15, 2020 (Panelist)
    • “Best Practices on Trademark Consumer Survey Admissibility,” For the Defense, DRI, August 2019 (Speaker)
    • “State of Intellectual Property,” Lathrop GPM Webinar, June 3, 2020
    • “COVID-19’s Impact on Hollywood Deal-Making,” 2020 Association of Media and Entertainment Counsel Webinar, April 21, 2020 (Moderator/Speaker)
    • “Keynote Fireside Chat with Regan Smith, General Counsel and Associate Register of Copyrights for the U.S. Copyright Office,” LAIPLA Spring Seminar, April 27, 2019 (Moderator) 
    • “Emerging Trends in Trademark Remedies,” 2019 USC Intellectual Property Institute (Moderator)
    • “Wait, Can I Post That?! — Navigating the Use of IP Protected Works Online,” Korea Trade-Investment Promotion Agency (KOTRA) and Korean Intellectual Property Office (KIPO) Intellectual Property Strategies Seminar, November 7, 2018 (Speaker)
    • “Common Pitfalls of Trademark Expert Reports and Survey Evidence,” LAIPLA Spring Seminar, May 5, 2018
    • “Moderator, Decide and Conquer: A Closer Look at the ITC versus Federal Court,” 2018 USC Intellectual Property Institute (Moderator)
    • “Different Ways to Think About Differences: Understanding and Interrupting Implicit Bias in the 21st Century,” USC Intellectual Property Institute’s Women in IP, March 21, 2017 (Moderator)
    • “Fashion Forward: A Look at the Legal Issues Found in the Fashion Industry,” Association of Media and Entertainment Counsel’s Women Who Lead (Panelist)
    • “Digital Media Joint Ventures: The Tug of War,” University of Tennessee Law School’s Entertainment Law Conference (Speaker)
    • “When the Follower Becomes the Leader — The Expanding and Innovative Roles of Games, Toys, Songs, and Merchandising as Originators of Filmed Expression,” University of Tennessee Law School’s Entertainment Law Conference (Speaker)
    • “Avoiding IP Pitfalls in Corporate Transactions,” National Association of Minority and Women Owned Law Firm’s Annual Conference (Moderator)

    Publications

    • “NFT Litigation Raises Novel Copyright Questions,” BloombergLaw.com, September 27, 2022 (Co-author)
    • “Insurance Tips for Employers,” Attorney At Law Magazine, Vol. 7, No. 2, April 2021 (Co-author)
    • “Rebranding Culturally Insensitive Marks,” The Korea Times, September 18, 2020 (published in Korean)
    • “Upcoming U.S. Supreme Court Intellectual Property Cases in Fall 2020,” The Korea Times, September 4, 2020 (published in Korean)
    • “SCOTUS Opens the Door for ‘.com’ Trademark Protection in USPTO v. Booking.com,” Attorney At Law, July 6, 2020 (Co-author)
    • “Best Practices on Trademark Consumer Survey Admissibility,” For the Defense, DRI, August, 2019
    • “Game of Life Copyright Dispute Meets ‘Day of Reckoning,’” Law.com, January 2019 (Featured)
    • “Getting the Right Fit: Tailoring Off-the-Rack Insurance to Cover IP Disputes,” Landslide magazine, ABA section of Intellectual Property Law, 2018
    • “Copyright Terminations in Full Swing,” M/E Insights, 2013
    • “Case Closed on Open Sources,” Los Angeles Daily Journal, 2008
    • “The Signs of Our... Users? Considering Contributory and Vicarious Liability for Trademark and Copyright Infringement,” Trademark World, 2008
    • “Trader of Development Rights Turns 40,” Journal of Planning and Environmental Law, 2007
    • “Protecting Car Design Internationally: A Comparison of British and American Design Laws,” 24 Loy. L.A. Int’l & Comp. L. Rev. 475 (2002)

    In the news

    • Bloomberg Law

      AI and the law: It’s the ‘wild, wild west’ out there

      Los Angeles Intellectual Property partner Erica Van Loon provides commentary throughout this article on several ongoing cases that could impact how artificial intelligence is used in the entertainment industry.

      May 10, 2023
    • ARTnews

      Yuga Labs admits to having no copyright over Bored Ape Yacht Club NFTs

      Los Angeles Intellectual Property partner Erica Van Loon provides third-party commentary in this article covering the latest motion filed in the Yuga Labs, Inc. v. Ripps et al trademark infringement case. Yuga Labs is requesting the dismissal of counterclaims brought by artist Ryder Ripps, who is seeking declaration from the court that Yuga Labs doesn’t have copyright over its Bored Ape Yacht Club NFT collection.

      Jan 26, 2023
    • BuzzFeed News

      A Supreme Court case on Andy Warhol’s portraits of Prince could force artists to change how they make art

      Los Angeles Intellectual Property partner Erica Van Loon provides third-party commentary in this article, which covers a U.S. Supreme Court case involving an Andy Warhol portrait of late musician Prince, and whether it violated the copyright of the photographer who took the photo Warhol used.

      Oct 12, 2022
    • Law360

      Justices won't review Hasbro's 'Game of Life' copyright win

      This article covers the US Supreme Court’s decision to not review a bench trial victory of multinational toy company Hasbro in an ownership dispute over the “Game of Life”. This leaves in place a 2021 appellate court affirmation of the district court’s 2019 bench trial ruling finding that game developer Reuben Klamer is the rightful author and copyright owner of the classic board game. Los Angeles Intellectual Property partner Erica Van Loon and counsel Joshua Pollack are mentioned in the article for representing the estate of Mr. Klamer, who died after his First Circuit court win.
      March 28, 2022
    • Law360

      Vanessa Hudgens says beauty brand faked her endorsement

      This article covers a lawsuit filed by actress and singer Vanessa Hudgens against SBLA Beauty for allegedly using her name, image, likeness, and persona for the promotion of its beauty products without her consent. The story mentions Intellectual Property partner Erica Van Loon and counsel Josh Pollack, and Complex Commercial Disputes associate Sherene Tagharobi, all of Los Angeles, for representing Hudgens.
      Dec 13, 2021
    • Reuters Legal

      Career Tracker: Bankruptcy leaders find new homes in Dallas, New York

      This roundup of notable attorney moves mentions Los Angeles Intellectual Property partners Erica Van Loon and Andrew Choung for joining NP.
      July 2, 2021
    • Bloomberg Law

      Wake up call

      The following article features Los Angeles Intellectual Property partners Erica Van Loon and Andrew Choung for joining NP, providing an overview of each of their IP practices.
      June 16, 2021
    • Law360

      First Circuit backs Hasbro's win in board game royalties suit

      This article on Monday’s First Circuit decision unanimously affirming Reuben Klamer as the author of iconic board game The Game of Life mentions Los Angeles Intellectual Property partner Erica Van Loon for representing Mr. Klamer. The court was persuaded that the plaintiff’s late husband’s work on the game prototype was a work for hire for Mr. Klamer, and thus held unequivocally that Mr. Klamer was the author of the game and the owner of the copyright on it.
      June 15, 2021
    • Intellectual Property Magazine

      Nixon Peabody adds IP partners on west coast

      The following article features Los Angeles Intellectual Property partners Erica Van Loon and Andrew Choung for joining NP, providing an overview of each of their IP practices.
      June 15, 2021
    • The Recorder/Law.com

      On the Move: Tracking the ins and outs of California lawyers

      This round-up of notable attorney moves mentions Los Angeles Intellectual Property partners Erica Van Loon and Andrew Choung for joining NP, providing an overview of each of their IP practices.
      June 10, 2021
    • Law360

      Nixon Peabody adds two ex-Lathrop IP pros in Los Angeles

      The following article highlights Los Angeles Intellectual Property partners Erica Van Loon and Andrew Choung for their move to the firm and NP’ s continued growth on the West Coast.
      June 9, 2021
    • World Trademark Review

      INTA seeks brand stories; IACC and National IPR Center partnership; new GIs in Pakistan

      The following article highlights Los Angeles Intellectual Property partners Erica Van Loon and Andrew Choung for their move to the firm and NP’s continued growth on the West Coast.
      June 8, 2021

    Admitted to practice

    California
    U.S. District Court, Central District of California
    U.S. District Court, Eastern District of California
    U.S. District Court, Northern District of California
    U.S. District Court, Southern District of California
    U.S. District Court, District of Colorado
    U.S. District Court, Northern District of Illinois
    U.S. District Court, Eastern District of Texas
    U.S. District Court, Western District of Wisconsin
    U.S. Court of Appeals, Federal Circuit
    U.S. Court of Appeals, Ninth Circuit
    U.S. Court of Appeals, First Circuit
    U.S. Supreme Court

    Education

    Loyola Law School, J.D.
    University of California, Berkeley, B.A.

    Professional activities

    • Los Angeles Intellectual Property Law Association, Vice President and board member, 2022
    • Association of Media & Entertainment Counsel Women Who Lead, Board member, chair emeritus; Law Firm Advisory Board, chair emeritus
    • USC Gould School of Law, Intellectual Property Institute, Trademark Sub-Committee, Co-chair, 2018–2020
    • ChIPs (Chiefs in Intellectual Property)
    • Beverly Hills Bar Association
    • California Fashion Association
    • California Lawyers Association, Intellectual Property Section
    • International Trademark Association
    • The State Bar of California, Intellectual Property Section

    Recognition

    • Named the 2019 Intellectual Property Attorney of the Year, Los Angeles Business Journal
    • Recognized as one of the top 75 Most Influential Women Attorneys by the Los Angeles Business Journal in 2018
    • Selected as one of 10 attorneys nationwide in intellectual property as a Law360 Rising Star
    • Consecutively named to the Southern California Super Lawyers and SuperLawyers Rising Star list from 2009–present for intellectual property litigation
    • Martindale-Hubbell legal rating of AV—the highest category awarded
    • Repeatedly selected as a recommended expert in trademark litigation and prosecution by the World Trademark Review

    Languages

    Spanish

    Insights And Happenings

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    • Alert

      SCOTUS reins in the fair-use defense in the commercial context

      May 22, 2023
    • Article

      World IP Day 2023 — Trends we’re watching

      April 25, 2023
    • Alert

      U.S. Copyright Office limits registration for AI-created Zarya of the Dawn graphic novel

      March 9, 2023
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    • Seth D. Levy

      Partner / Leader, Intellectual Property Practice / Co-chair, Life Sciences Practice
      • Los Angeles
      • Office:213.629.6161
      • slevy@nixonpeabody.com
      Seth D. Levy
    • Ravinderjit Braich, Ph.D.

      Partner
      • Boston
      • Office:617.345.1089
      • rbraich@nixonpeabody.com
      Ravinderjit Braich, Ph.D.
    • Jennette W. Psihoules

      Counsel / Co-Lead, IPPG Food & Beverage Team
      • Washington DC
      • Office:202.585.8385
      • jpsihoules@nixonpeabody.com
      Jennette W. Psihoules
    • Janet M. Garetto

      Partner / Co-Lead, IPPG Food & Beverage Team
      • Chicago
      • Office:312.425.8514
      • jgaretto@nixonpeabody.com
      Janet M. Garetto
    • Andrew Y. Choung

      Partner / Co-Lead, Patent Mining & Monetization Team
      • Los Angeles
      • Office:213.629.6166
      • achoung@nixonpeabody.com
      Andrew  Y. Choung
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