Jury awards Hutchison & Steffen client over 2.18 million in damages

Kumen Taylor, Todd Moody, and Ava Bessel recently concluded a jury trial where they represented the artist Steven Liguori. Mr. Liguori sculpted a two-times life size bronze statue of Joe Kine, a “high scaler” who helped build the Hoover Dam. The statue is on display on the Hoover Dam site. Mr. Liguori entered into a licensing agreement to permit his artwork to be used on souvenirs and displayed in a café near the monument. The agreement provided that Mr. Liguori would receive royalties on sales of his copyrighted work. The jury found that the owner of the café/souvenir shop at the Hoover Dam violated the licensing agreement with Mr. Liguori and also willfully infringed Mr. Liguori’s copyrighted artwork. Mr. Liguori was awarded over $2.18 million in damages. Liguori v. Hansen, Case No. 2:11-cv-00492-GWF (D. Nev. 2015).