Against highly restrictive claims and evidence rulings by the court, partner Richard Sybert scored an upset unanimous jury victory on February 20 in a copyright infringement trial in federal court in Los Angeles for client Lanard Toys.
Lanard, a global Hong Kong toymaker with a design center in California, sued New York toy importer Dimple Child for dealing in a “knockoff” infringing version of a light-and-sound take-apart toy motorcycle engine. Despite being limited to a single claim and only three witnesses (including the defendant) and no experts, Sybert was able to persuade an eight-person federal jury to award both actual and statutory damages two-and-a-half times the defendant’s gross revenue and twenty-five times its profits from the infringing toy.
Sybert was aided by a superb support team including partners Reid Dammann and Benni Amato, associate Yan Ren, and paralegal Rafer Weaver.
Sybert is a senior partner and Co-chair of the Firm’s Intellectual Property practice group. He has a national and international practice representing and counseling major U.S. and foreign businesses in complex litigation and arbitration in state and federal courts, and before administrative agencies.