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Fyre Fest Scandal Reignites, and Influencer Agencies, Management and PR Firms Are Getting Burned

Earlier this year, I wrote an article for Entrepreneur magazine about the now-infamous Fyre Festival. Among other topics, the article dealt with how not only influencers, but recently brands, agencies, and others involved with influencers, were being scrutinized by the Federal Trade Commission (“FTC”) for failures to properly disclose endorsements.   It also posited that…

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The Value of Cannabis Patents to Cannabis Startups, National Cannabis Industry Association (November 6, 2019)

In an article for the National Cannabis Industry Association, Dr. Dariush Adli discusses the value of cannabis patents and the unique opportunity it presents to entrepreneurs, businesses, and investors to participate in this growing market. In particular, he focuses on the value of these patents and their enforceability on the federal level. To read the article, click here….

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Dr. Adli Covers LA Lawyer Magazine Reviewing the SCOTUS Decision to Modify the Lanham Act

Dr. Dariush Adli, ADLI Law Group’s founder, president, and intellectual property leader is featured on the cover of the November issue of Los Angeles Lawyer. In the publication, he discusses the long-awaited SCOTUS decision in the First Amendment challenge to the Immoral or Scandalous Clause of the Lanham Act. The article aptly titled, “No OFFENSE Intended?”…

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Your Independent Contractor is Probably Your Employee After All

On September 18, 2019, California Governor Gavin Newsom signed Assembly Bill 5 (“AB 5”) into law.  The bill sets a new standard for classifying workers throughout California, and its ramifications are sure to be felt across companies of all sizes who have used independent contractors as part of their business model.  All California business owners,…

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When It Comes To Posting Your Photos, Ask Permission, Not Forgiveness

There’s a theory to which my girlfriend subscribes: “Ask forgiveness, not permission”. While I generally agree, it doesn’t apply to posting photos of you someone else takes.   Recently, a federal court threw out a lawsuit against influencer and supermodel Gigi Hadid, for posting to Instagram a photo of herself that was taken by a…

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Dr. Dariush Adli Discusses the Recent “Kimono” Trademark Controversy and Legal Remedies for Affected Groups

In an article for IP Watchdog, Dr. Dariush Adli discusses the recent controversy surrounding Kim Kardashian’s efforts to trademark the name “Kimono” for her new line of undergarment shapewear.  While not perfect, trademark laws do provide powerful tools for Affected Groups to combat and control cultural appropriators from using their cherished attributes.    To read…

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No Ifs, Ands or Bots. Bot Use Disclosure Now Mandatory In California.

As anyone who shops online knows, many sellers and service providers offer messaging options that allow visitors to ask questions and interact with the site. Often, the “person” they’re communicating with isn’t real (although it often seems human – “Hi! I’m Tina! Can I help you?”).   It’s a chatbot, a type of bot that…

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Authenticity – Influencers Should Never Have It Take A Vacation

I read a surprising article about a couple, the Smiths, who run the Instagram @The_greatescape.blog, which claims about 28,000 followers. The blog details their two year round-the-world trip. The article is about Ms. Smith admitting that she wasn’t honest in her blog about the couple’s experiences during their three months in the Dominican Republic.   She’s…

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Silence Isn’t Golden If You’re an Influencer

Most influencers are aware of their obligations to clearly disclose when they have a “material connection“ to a brand they’re endorsing. (For those of you unfamiliar with the Federal Trade Commission (“FTC”) Endorsement Guides’ disclosure requirements, you can check out a short blog or longer article I wrote that talks about them.   But, a…

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How Influencers Can Influence More Revenue and Stay Out of Trouble

Social media platforms such as YouTube and Instagram have become the go-to destination for video content consumption by teens and millennials. It far surpasses what they consume on television. These platforms (often referred to simply as “social”), collectively generate billions of views, and hundreds of millions of hours of watch time, every single day. Teens…

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