Leo P And Pierce Bainbridge File Suit Against Fortnite
NEW YORK, April 26, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Leo Pellegrino, the charismatic founding baritone saxophone player of the brass house group, Too Many Zooz, has filed suit against Epic Games ("Epic"), the creator and publisher of Fortnite: Battle Royale, for its unauthorized use of his likeness and trademark signature moves for the Fortnite "Phone It In" emote. Epic has never asked Pellegrino for permission to use his likeness or his signature moves, nor has it credited or compensated him.
Pellegrino, also known as Leo P, developed his trademark signature moves due to his outward pointing feet and his love of putting on energetic performances playing the saxophone. Since 2013, when he graduated from music school, Pellegrino has worked tirelessly to establish himself and Too Many Zooz as a unique voice in the music world. Through his memorable and recognizable moves while performing with his saxophone, Pellegrino's trademark moves have become inseparable from his persona and his life story.
Epic has made billions of dollars through the popular Fortnite, which is based on transactions in the game's electronic marketplace. In addition to its misappropriation of Pellegrino's likeness and trademark, Epic has been accused of infringing the copyrights, trademarks, and likenesses of many other performers, exploiting these performers' creativity and hard work for profit, while failing to compensate or even acknowledge the creators themselves. Pierce Bainbridge Beck Price & Hecht LLP ("Pierce Bainbridge") currently represents all of the performers who have filed suit against Epic.
"We are proud to represent Leo P, an extremely talented and very unique performer. There is no other saxophonist who moves like Leo P. and no doubt that Epic sought to exploit his likeness and signature movement for profit in Fortnite. While Fortnite has very recently started to work with talent like Marshmello and Weezer, implicitly acknowledging the importance of licensing intellectual property it wishes to use, it has continued to ignore the rights of a bevy of performers it blatantly copied, including Leo P," added David L. Hecht, lead counsel in the performers' war against Epic and co-head of Pierce Bainbridge's intellectual property practice.
More information about Pierce Bainbridge can be found on its website at www.piercebainbridge.com
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SOURCE Pierce Bainbridge
