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Areas of Interest
November 29th, 2022
Are Tom Brady and Larry David Liable for the FTX Disaster?
Blockchain Technology Co-Chair Hannah Taylor is quoted in the article, “Are Tom Brady and Larry David Liable for the FTX Disaster?” published by Decrypt. The article discusses the class-action lawsuit against FTX and how likely the allegations will stick to the celebrity endorsers who are listed as co-defendants. Hannah is quoted saying, “There’s not been a lot of precedent for holding celebrities accountable in this sort of case. It’s usually done to help draw PR attention to a case. What’s really going to be hard for them is to prove the idea of conspiracy or fraud—the idea that [these celebrities] were somehow part of some mastermind scheme to defraud consumers. I think that’s unlikely.”
The class-action lawsuit also invoked Florida state securities laws, claiming that FTX violated such statutes by peddling unregistered yield-bearing accounts (YBAs) like staking pools, which offered users guaranteed returns on deposits. “Once a digital asset that someone is promoting is found to be a security, additional rules apply about what they have to disclose and how they have to engage with consumers. If the Florida judge in last week’s lawsuit rules that FTX’s YBAs were in fact securities, past celebrity endorsers of FTX could be exposed to increased liability,” said Hannah.
Hannah says, “There are still factors that could increase a celebrity’s exposure to liability, though. The further their statements on FTX strayed from a general endorsement to specific claims of safety, trustworthiness, or guaranteed returns, the greater the risk of liability. What Steph Curry said, making safety claims about the platform, goes beyond what, for example, Naomi Osaka said, going ‘Oh, cool! FTX!’”
Hannah thinks the class-action lawsuit could be the least of these celebrities’ worries. She says, “Even if these plaintiffs might not be able to prove from a class action standpoint that these celebrities were willfully involved in some conspiracy to defraud consumers, you might have technical noncompliance with other laws.”
Read the full article here.
Other Quoted
Jonah Brill and Spouse Emma Brill Featured on Cardozo Law School Podcast
Jonah Brill and his wife Emma Brill are interviewed on their alma mater’s audio publication SPARKS: A Cardozo School of Law Podcast | Cardozo Law. Having met as first-year law students at the Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law, they discuss how their law school affected their personal lives and chosen career paths. They share their class recommendations, “insights into the complexities of tax law,” and “lessons learned along the way.” Listen here.
April 8 2025
Key Amendments to the New York Rules of Professional Conduct
The New York Law Journal quotes Tyler C. Maulsby on the recently amended Rules of Profesisonal Conduct, which will affect conflicts, screening of laterals, fairness to opposing counsel, and more. View Article
April 1 2025
Duke’s ‘White Lotus’ Cameo Not Likely An IP Problem for HBO
Law360 quotes Kimberly M. Maynard on whether HBO was within its rights to use Duke University's apparel in its artistic expression on the dark comedy show "The White Lotus." Kim argues that when discussing something that's clearly an artistic expression, brand owners' rights are fairly limited by the First Amendment and the Rogers case, even as amended by the Jack Daniels' case. (Behind paywall) View Article
March 31 2025
