LOS ANGELES--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Former NFL superstar Shawne Merriman spent years playing by the rules of the game he so loved - rules dictated by high school, college, and the NFL. Fairness was a natural part of his game. And now he expects the same from Nike.
Merriman and Nike are embroiled in a lawsuit over trademark infringement. Merriman holds the uncontested trademark "Lights Out," a nickname he acquired in high school. It would remain his trademark and nickname throughout his NFL career, appearing first on t-shirts and then his line of athletic wear and accessories.
Merriman would go on to work jointly with Nike while negotiating the use of his trademark. When those negotiations broke down, Nike began using the trademark without Merriman's consent. An intellectual property attorney, Mintz Levin, was then retained to sue Nike for infringement.
As of August 31st of this year, Nike has yet to respond to a judge's order that it produce documents pursuant to a motion to compel filed by Mintz Levin, and Merriman is left wondering what, exactly, Nike has to hide. "I just want Nike to play be the rules like everyone else," he has said. "Is there something there they don't want us to see?"
Case No. 14CV0872-JAH
ML Strategies, LLC at Mintz Levin