Rigsby Comments on Photographer’s Copyright Suit Against Nike

Partner Cynthia Rigsby was quoted in a Bloomberg Law article, “Nike ‘Jumpman’ Logo Takes Center Court in Photo Copyright Fight,” about a photographer’s claim that Nike pilfered his 1984 picture of Michael Jordan to create its iconic “Jumpman” logo.

Rigsby said photographer Jacobus Rentmeester overstated how much the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals, which dismissed his suit, strayed from other federal appeals courts. Isolating elements in creative works “is what we’ve been doing in trademark and copyright law forever, “ she said.

“We want to be careful not to give so much protection that people are inhibited from going forward and making improvements and changes to what’s out there,” she added.