Alonzo B. Wickers IV

Wickers manages to juggle litigating groundbreaking intellectual property and First Amendment questions with counseling popular television shows and networks.

Over the last year, Wickers has been a core part of the Davis Wright team representing Electronic Arts Inc. in the series of lawsuits filed by groups of former college and pro athletes challenging how the video game producer allegedly used their names and images without their permission or compensation.

Jim Brown, the NFL Hall of Famer, is one of the lead plaintiffs who has filed new right of publicity claims in Los Angeles County Superior Court following a 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruling in EA's favor. Brown v. Electronic Arts Inc., CV09-56675 (9th Cir., filed July 31, 2013).

But the 9th Circuit ruled in favor of former Arizona State University quarterback Samuel Keller in a case featuring similar issues. Keller v. Electronic Arts Inc., CV10-15387 (9th Cir., filed July 31, 2013). The decision prompted EA to announce it was discontinuing its college football video game series.

Wickers said the Keller decision came in light of heightened scrutiny over the lack of compensation available to college athletes.

"You had increasing public attention to the way in which the NCAA treats student athletes," Wickers said. "The NCAA and the student institutions are making a lot of money over the toil of basketball and football players."

Wickers also oversees a prebroadcast review team that works with television producers and writers, which sometimes means vetting potential material at all hours of the day. He has worked with producers on some of the most provocative Comedy Central shows, such as South Park.

"Usually we're able to tell them that they're able to do things that they never thought they could do," Wickers said. "We allow them to exercise more fully their First Amendment rights as opposed to just being concerned and worried about claims."

- Kevin Lee