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When Lawyers Send Letters

By Kelly Faircloth 6/05 12:47pm

When Lawyers Send Letters

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Airbnb Goes to the Mattresses on Behalf of Busted Host

When last we checked in with poor Nigel Warren, the Airbnb host accused of violating the state’s illegal hotel laws, a judge had just ruled he had to pony up $2,400. That’s less than the $7,000 he was originally cited, but still–yikes.

But while Mr. Warren surely doesn’t want to cough up a couple grand, it’s even more important for Airbnb that he win the case, because otherwise legal precedent suggests their service is verboten. And who wants to risk legal troubles for a little extra cash?

So today, the company announced it would support Mr. Warren and his landlord throughout the process of appealing the ruling. “We may lose again before we prevail, but we intend to fight this ruling until justice is done,” wrote David Hantman, the company’s global head of public policy, in a blog post announcing the move. He added: Read More

By Jessica Roy 5/02 1:43pm

When Lawyers Send Letters

(Scribblenauts. (Photo: Flickr.com/loadmagazine)

Cat Meme Creators Are Suing Scribblenauts Because This Is How Life Works Now

Bad news for cat meme enthusiasts: turns out the people who invented both Keyboard Cat and Nyan Cat are pretty hardcore about protecting their “intellectual” property. Geek.com reports that both creators are suing the puzzle action game Scribblenauts for not getting permission to appropriate their respective cats’ likenesses before putting them in the game. Read More

By Jessica Roy 1/25 4:21pm

When Lawyers Send Letters

Mr. Rabois (Photo: Twitter)

Square COO Keith Rabois Quits After Sexual Harassment Allegations

Earlier today, news broke that Square’s COO, Keith Rabois, had left the company. It was a strangely-timed departure, considering Square recently raised $200 million in a Series D. Now, the Wall Street Journal has broken the news that Mr. Rabois is embroiled in a sexual harassment claim from a fellow Square employee, and resigned so that the allegations would “not cause a distraction for the company.” Read More

By Jessica Roy 11/21/12 9:18am

When Lawyers Send Letters

(Photo: Matthew Inman/The Oatmeal)

The Oatmeal Is Being Sued Again

Deja vu? Matthew Inman, creator of the popular comic series The Oatmeal, is being sued again, this time for trademark infringement.

A greeting card company called Oatmeal Studios didn’t take kindly to Mr. Inman’s decision to collaborate with Recycled Greetings to turn his web comics into greeting cards, available for purchase in his online store. Ars Technica reports that the Massachusetts-based company has sued Mr. Inman for trademark infringement, arguing that his crossover into the ever-competitive greeting card market will confuse potential customers, who might not know The Oatmeal and Oatmeal Studios are different properties. Read More

By Jessica Roy 5:51pm

When Lawyers Send Letters

Mr. Poole (Photo: Wikipedia)

4Chan Founder Moot Sends Cease & Desist Letter to Startup Moot.It

4Chan founder Chris Poole, who has gone by the username Moot since 2003, has sent a cease-and-desist letter to Oregon-based startup Moot.It, a yet-to-launch company that promises to reimagine forums and commenting. We initially suspected the letter might be a prank from /b/, but confirmed with Mr. Poole’s lawyer, Martin Schwimmer, that it is indeed real.

Mr. Schwimmer, a partner at White Plains law firm Leason Ellis, writes that because Mr. Poole is so closely aligned with the username Moot, any attempt by Moot.It to use the name could result in confusion from users who may wrongfully believe Mr. Poole is associated with the company. Read More

By Jessica Roy 11/14/12 10:26am

When Lawyers Send Letters

(Photo: Maximum PC)

Revenge Is Sweet: Time Warner Cable Sued Over Modem Leasing ‘Scam’

When last we heard from Time Warner Cable, a corporation so reviled that even Starfleet captains can’t help but voice their discontent, it was devising its latest scheme to become the most hated company ever by charging a modem rental fee. Now, the New York Daily News reports that not one but two class action suits have been lodged against Time Warner, alleging that the $3.95/month modem leasing fee is essentially a money-making racket. Read More