Cline Williams Wright Johnson & Oldfather is proud to announce that three attorneys were named “Lawyer of Year” in the Best Lawyers in America® 2026 edition.
The U.S. Copyright Office recently released a pre-publication version of Part 3 of its Copyright and Artificial Intelligence Report series. This report focuses on training materials used to train generative artificial intelligence (“AI”), and whether developers need licenses to use third-party copyrighted works. The USCO explained that sometimes developers will need to license third-party copyrighted works, and sometimes will not need to license those works, depending largely on whether the use is considered fair. While recognizing the merits of potential government intervention to spur licensing, the Office concluded that market development of creative licensing solutions on a case-by-case basis is the best current option.
Cline Williams is proud to reveal that 30 of the firm's lawyers are listed in the Best Lawyers in America® 2026. Best Lawyers in America® are chosen through an extensive peer driven evaluation. Lawyers are recognized for their professional excellence in their area of practice. Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch, listed 3 of our attorneys. The listed lawyers, who are early in their careers, are recognized for their outstanding professional excellence in private practice.
Cline Williams is also proud to announce that three firm attorneys were selected for inclusion in the Best Lawyers in America® 2026 as “Lawyer of the Year” in their respective practice. They received this distinction based entirely upon peer ratings. Only a single lawyer in each practice area and designated metropolitan area is honored as a “Lawyer of the Year."
Cline Williams is honored to announce that partner Don Janssen has been ranked in the 2025 Chambers High Net Worth Guide for Private Wealth Law: Nebraska.
On November 5, 2024, Nebraska voters approved Initiative 436, also known as, the Nebraska Healthy Families and Workplaces Act (the “Act”). On May 28, 2025, the Nebraska Legislature passed LB 415, which clarifies and amends the Act. Employers should be aware of the changes made by LB 415 and begin preparing to comply with the Act as amended.
Cline Williams is honored to be ranked by the Chambers and Partners 2025 USA Guide. Nine attorneys in six Nebraska practice areas are being recognized. In addition, three of the firm’s practice groups are ranked.
On March 18, 2025, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit issued a notable ruling in Thaler v. Perlmutter, No. 23-5233, 2025 WL 839178 (D.C. Cir. Mar. 18, 2025), affirming the U.S. Copyright Office’s denial of copyright registration for an image generated by artificial intelligence. Thaler reinforces a foundational element of copyright law: Copyright protection extends only to human authors. For those attempting to navigate the evolving intersection of intellectual property and artificial intelligence, this case offers a certain degree of clarity but leaves several important questions unanswered.
On February 26, 2025, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in Dewberry Group, Inc. v. Dewberry Engineers Inc. that the Lanham Act’s trademark-infringement remedy of disgorgement of the defendant’s profits is limited to the profits of a named defendant only, and does not extend to affiliated entities who may also have profited from the defendant’s infringing conduct.
The United States District Court for the District of Delaware has revised a prior summary judgement order, broadly holding that a party seeking to train non-generative AI with protected works did not make a fair use of the material and was required to obtain a license. At issue here, the court found that Westlaw’s headnotes and KeyCite system were original, protectable works. The Court then found infringement because the training materials the defendant used to train its AI product copied Westlaw’s works, and because the use of non-generative AI did not amount to a transformative fair use.
Mark A. Christensen, a Senior Partner at the law firm of Cline Williams Wright Johnson & Oldfather, and NDCA 2023 Defense Counsel of the Year, is shifting the focus of his practice to mediation and arbitration. Mark began conducting mediations in 1995 and has successfully served as a mediator in personal injury, commercial litigation, estate and employment cases in Nebraska and throughout the region. Mark has served as an arbitrator in construction and employment disputes.
