A proposed commercial for a law firm depicts the Steamboat Willie-era Mickey at the helm of a boat that collides with a car driven by Minnie. After the crash, Minnie dials #LAW to hire Morgan & Morgan. The spot concludes with Mickey handing a bag of money to Minnie.
Avoiding Affiliation
Disney Declined to Cooperate
Before finalizing the campaign, Morgan & Morgan sought confirmation from Disney that the company would not take legal action. Disney did not provide such assurance, and the law firm subsequently filed its complaint in the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Florida.
The firm is pursuing a declaratory judgment stating that the ad does not infringe Disney’s trademark rights or other intellectual property protections, which would prevent a future lawsuit if the ad runs.
Recent Related Lawsuits
The dispute follows other legal activity by Disney involving Mickey Mouse imagery. Shortly after Morgan & Morgan reached out, Disney initiated a separate lawsuit against a Hong Kong jewelry company for its use of Mickey-related imagery.
Public Domain Context
The legal backdrop to this dispute is that the 1928 cartoon Steamboat Willie entered the public domain on January 1, 2024, which means the original depiction of Mickey and Minnie from that short is free for public use.
Nevertheless, Disney maintains protections over later, updated versions of Mickey Mouse and continues to enforce its rights in more modern artistic depictions, merchandising, and theme park uses.
Is Morgan & Morgan being creative with this ad — or just pushing the limits?