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A Lawyer Named Atticus v. "Atticus": Trademark Law, Referral Fees, and Who Gets to Practice Law | Kabateck & Karnikian: Off the Record, Ep. 15

| Aug. 31, 2026
Off The Record

Aug. 31, 2026

A Lawyer Named Atticus v. "Atticus": Trademark Law, Referral Fees, and Who Gets to Practice Law | Kabateck & Karnikian: Off the Record, Ep. 15

A cease-and-desist over an attorney's own name opens the door to bigger questions about trademarks, referral fees, legal-tech platforms and who really gets to practice law.

When attorney Atticus Wegman received a cease-and-desist letter over the use of his own name, it exposed the structure behind Atticus Labs, a Delaware entity that holds a trademark for "legal services" without ever practicing law, and Atticus Law, a firm accused of functioning as a nationwide, unlicensed referral service. Brian Kabateck and Shant Karnikian talk with Wegman and attorneys, Brian Kinder and Nate Camuti, about the trademark's licensing structure, the fee-sharing arrangement that funnels referral money back to Atticus Labs, and a recent federal court ruling from Judge Slaughter that kept most of their claims alive and denied the opposing side's anti-SLAPP motion. They also discuss the broader question of who gets to practice law as legal-tech platforms increasingly resemble law firms.



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Kabateck & Karnikian: Off the Record is opinion content independent of the Daily Journal newsroom. Opinions expressed are those of the hosts and do not represent the Daily Journal Network or the Daily Journal. Not legal advice.

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