Today in federal court, a jury unanimously awarded Mattel $20 million damages from MGA Entertainment and its CEO, Isaac Larian, for copyright infringement and other claims related to Mattel’s rightful ownership of Bratz-related works.

“Mattel has pursued this case first and foremost as a matter of principle,” said Robert A. Eckert, chairman and chief executive officer of Mattel, Inc. “We have an obligation to defend ourselves against competitors who choose to engage in fraudulent activities against us. We’re pleased that the jury agreed with Mattel that what MGA did was wrong and that damages were awarded.”

Mattel’s counsel, John Quinn, added, “After carefully weighing nearly three months of testimony and evidence, the jury arrived at a unanimous and undeniable conclusion that MGA engaged in illegal business practices.”

Mattel was represented by Quinn Emanuel Urquhart Oliver & Hedges, LLP, a 400-strong lawyer business litigation firm – the largest in the United States devoted solely to business litigation. The litigation team was led by John Quinn, founder and managing partner at the firm, and partners Bill Price and Mike Zeller. The trial of Mattel, Inc. v MGA Entertainment, Inc. began on May 27, 2008, in United States Court of the Central District of California in Riverside, Calif., and was presided by the Honorable Stephen G. Larson, United States District Judge.

The jury awarded $20 million to Mattel in damages.

MGA said that the jury made its award pursuant to a variety of legal claims, each based on the same damages theory, and subject to the Court's instruction not to be concerned about duplicative damages. MGA pointed out that during the trial Mattel even conceded that the damages it sought were overlapping and duplicative.

MGA further stated that it intends to appeal any amount of awarded damages at the end of the case.

“We are pleased to have this trial behind us,” said Isaac Larian, CEO of MGA Entertainment. “We can now concentrate all of our energies on what we do best - providing dolls and other toys that are the consumers’ first choice.”