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As everyone is working on their Christmas shopping, it’s not uncommon for people to look for some extra cash whether that be picking up extra shifts at work or working on a side hustle. One of those side hustles could be throwing your favorite Disney Christmas character on merchandise to sell while everyone is looking for gifts. Longtime copyright and trademark lawyer and founder of Trestle Law Kristen Roberts spoke with the WOR Morning Show about the dangers of using officially licensed characters in photos or merchandise and the legal trouble that could come from it.
“If you’re making money off of it, probably don’t do it because that is the connection they’re looking for,” Roberts tells host Larry Mendte. “They don’t usually start out by suing… but that doesn’t mean they can’t start out by suing you.”
Roberts says that even though it’s a risky plan, there are work arounds for these laws: “If you can get it close so people get what you’re doing, but you’re not actually using the licensed character, that’s how a lot of people get away with it.”
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