Margaret Esquenet Image

Margaret Esquenet

Partner

Finnegan

Margaret Esquenet is a Partner at Finnegan. Her work focuses on contemporary issues in U.S. and global copyright, advertising, and trademark law. She leads litigation teams defining the scope of copyright protection, trademark infringement, and advertising substantiation on traditional and emerging platforms. She provides legal counsel across all media, in all facets of branding, advertising, and marketing. Margaret is experienced in First Amendment and media rights and has been tapped as an intellectual property legal expert for National Public Radio and Bloomberg BNA stories.

For more information or to contact Margaret, please visit her Firm Profile Page.

Recent Articles by Margaret Esquenet

Nike’s Trademark Fight Against StockX Moves Offline

StockX, which describes its e-commerce resale platform as “[t]he current culture marketplace,” is primarily used by consumers to resell and buy sneakers, among other items. In January 2022, StockX announced its plans to launch The Vault, which uses non-fungible tokens (NFTs) to allow buyers to track ownership of physical products resold on its e-market and warrant their authenticity, including Nike shoes. Swiftly thereafter, Nike sued StockX in the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York (SDNY), alleging that StockX’s use of Nike’s famous marks in connection with its NFTs constitutes trademark infringement. Nike, Inc. v. StockX LLC, 1:22-cv-00983-VEC. In its original February 3, 2022, complaint, Nike alleged that StockX mints NFTs using Nike’s trademarks without authorization and sells them to consumers, who either believe or are likely to believe that StockX’s NFTs are connected with Nike when they are not.

Marketing With the Stars of March: NCAA Athletes and the New ‘NIL’ Policy

Name, Image, and Likeness, or “NIL,” is the buzz word spinning around college athletics. In July 2021, the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) adopted its Interim NIL Policy (“the Policy”) which allows, for the first time, student athletes to monetize their NIL rights without losing scholarships or eligibility. Fans love college sports and cheering on athletes who play for their alma mater or favorite school teams, which creates collaboration opportunities for athletes and brands alike. In an attempt to connect their products and services with college athletes—who are the face of a billion-dollar industry—brands are jumping on the college-athlete bandwagon.