Suann MacIsaac

Suann MacIsaac specializes in the areas of entertainment, intellectual property and general business litigation.  She has successfully prosecuted and defended numerous cases involving claims for copyright infringement, trademark infringement, trade secret misappropriation, unfair competition, fraud and breach of contract.

In addition to representing actors, studios, producers, photographers and others within the entertainment field, Ms. MacIsaac also has significant experience litigating matters within the video game industry, where she has represented both large video game publishers and independent developers.  She was a central part of the litigation team that recently won a $13 million judgment in favor of Ubisoft Entertainment.

Ms. MacIsaac has also handled a number of matters involving partnership disputes, and most recently helped settle a case on behalf of a Los Angeles real estate developer for a payment over $15 million based on an approximately $2 million investment.

REPRESENTATIVE MATTERS

  • Represented Ubisoft Entertainment, one of the world’s largest video game publishers, in a license dispute against MGA Entertainment, the owner of the girl doll property known as “Bratz,” which resulted in a $13 million award in favor of Ubisoft
  • Represented Ubisoft Entertainment in a breach of contract and negligence action brought against a video game replicator whose employee had pirated of one of Ubisoft’s most successful video game properties; the matter was resolved out of court in a confidential settlement
  • Represented Ubisoft Entertainment in a declaratory relief action against its insurer regarding Ubisoft’s right to independent counsel; obtained summary adjudication in favor of Ubisoft on core issue in the action
  • Represented Spark Unlimited, the developer of video games Call of Duty: Finest Hour, Turning Point: Fall of Liberty, and Legendary: The Box, in a fraud and breach of contract action against Activision Publishing; the matter was resolved out of court in a confidential settlement
  • Represented a Los Angeles real estate developer and his investment company in a hotel partnership dispute and obtained a $15.5 million settlement in favor of our clients based on an approximately $2 million investment
  • Represented two successful commercial photographers in a copyright infringement action brought against a national health care company, which was continuing to use and retain our client’s photographs after the license to use the photographs had expired; the matter was resolved out of court in a confidential settlement
  • Represented Fun 4 All, a manufacturer of plush dolls, in a license dispute against MGA Entertainment, resulting in a $2 million award in favor of Fun 4 All
  • Represented a major Hollywood studio in defamation action related to an animated feature film; the matter was resolved out of court in a confidential settlement

EDUCATION

  • JD, University of Pennsylvania, magna cum laude, Order of the Coif, 1996
  • BA, high honors, University of Michigan, 1992
  • Law Clerk, Honorable Ferdinand F. Fernandez, Court of Appeals, Ninth Circuit, 1997-1998

SPEECHES

  • Speaker, “Litigation Update,” Gamer Law Technology Conference, March 2009
  • Speaker, “Put Your Game Face On: Video Game Development, Licensing and Litigation,” May 2006
  • Speaker, “Can You Keep a Secret?: Protecting Your Trade Secrets In The Workplace and In The Courts,” October 2005

AWARDS/RECOGNITIONS

  • Listed, Los Angeles Magazine as a “Southern California Rising Star,” 2005, 2006, 2007, and 2008

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