Announcements

SRZ Successfully Represents Global Sporting Goods Company in Competition Case

April 15, 2011

SRZ successfully represented a well-known, global sporting goods company in an arbitration before the American Arbitration Association held in London. The company’s European licensee brought an action for breach of its licensing agreement with the company, seeking over $20 million in damages allegedly caused by parallel imports entering into the licensee’s exclusive territory. The licensee argued that the company should have acted, or allowed the licensee to act, to halt these parallel imports. Our client contended, however, that the parallel imports were legal and protected under European Union trademark and competition law, and therefore could not lawfully be restrained. Although the arbitration hearing was scheduled for eight days, the parties entered into settlement negotiations after only three and reached an agreement that was very favorable to the company. SRZ’s representation was led by litigation partner Alan R. Glickman, who was principally assisted by litigation associates Frank J. LaSalle, Stacy Ma, Justin A. Mendelsohn, and Matthew W. Schmidt.