Legal
Many distinct services and areas of expertise reside under the general heading of “CMG’s Legal Services.” CMG Worldwide regards the legal aspects of its business as the foundation of bedrock upon which its other departments are constructed. As a manifestation of that philosophy, CMG Worldwide takes an active role in the creation and revision of laws that protect brands and personalities. CMG Worldwide has generated high-profile, precedent setting victories for its clients through litigation against entities such as:
Major League Baseball: CMG Worldwide earned the critical right for retired players to be shown in their team uniforms while endorsing a product or service.
Warner Bros.: After CMG Worldwide had successfully nurtured the James Dean name and likeness into one of the most successful brands in the world, Warner Bros. attempted to claim ownership of James Dean because the star was under contract with them at the time of his death. CMG Worldwide successfully established that the family, not the production company, owned these rights. This case has since been used by countless celebrities to effectively protect and market their names and likenesses.
Spike Lee (unauthorized production of “Malcolm X”): This case established that Malcolm X's widow, Betty Shabazz, controlled the rights to the "Malcolm X" used in association with her husband for the merchandise and apparel produced to promote the movie "Malcolm X." Spike Lee was ordered to pay Shabazz an appropriate licensing fee.
With this overview, the following areas comprise the menu of services CMG Worldwide provides which are of a legal nature:
