In late November, JAY-Z and his legal team asked a judge to halt arbitration in an ongoing trademark case because of an alleged lack of diversity in the American Arbitration Association (AAA). JAY and his team have now withdrawn their motion to stop arbitration because AAA “has indicated an openness” to alter its process and introduce “measures intended to improve the diversity” of its roster, according to The Hollywood Reporter.
In a letter, JAY’s lawyer writes: “While the information AAA provided has confirmed that AAA lacks an appreciable number of minority (and particularly, African-American) arbitrators, AAA has indicated an openness both to an arbitrator selection process in this Arbitration that will allow for meaningful consideration of African-American arbitrators and to broader remedial measures intended to improve the diversity of the arbitrator roster for future arbitrations.” A status conference in the case is set for March 2019, according to THR.
Pitchfork has contacted representatives for JAY-Z.
Iconix Brand Group, which bought JAY-Z’s Rocawear in 2007, claimed in a 2017 lawsuit that it owns the Roc Nation logo and that JAY-Z is infringing on its trademark by using the logo on Major League Baseball apparel. Iconix filed for an arbitration proceeding against JAY-Z’s team, asking them to reveal financial information about their companies.
