Influencers Risk Trademark Suits After Judge Rejects Dismissal

A rare court order looping celebrity endorser Molly Sims into a trademark infringement lawsuit might spur similar suits against influencers in the future, as they become an increasingly bigger source of advertisements, trademark attorneys say.

A California federal court refused to dismiss Sims, a model and actor, from a trademark infringement lawsuit alleging she caused consumer confusion about an eyebrow product. The court said her sponsored blog post for a Rodan and Fields LLC product constituted commercial use, putting her on the hook for possible infringement.

Companies more often focus only on the competitor selling the allegedly infringing product. Claims ...