Law firm Crowell faces disqualification bid in AI lawsuit
- Online art hub DeviantArt wants Crowell & Moring kicked off a copyright case, claiming the firm secretly double-dipped as their legal counsel on AI matters until just last year.
- Crowell allegedly whispered sweet nothings about DreamUp AI’s IP strategy in one ear, then turned around and sued the same client on behalf of a photographer in another.
- DeviantArt calls the conflict 'substantive, not merely technical,' insisting Crowell is sitting on a mountain of confidential client secrets.
- Crowell says the affair ended in 2024, but DeviantArt scoffs, noting that pausing the billable hours doesn't cancel the wedding vows.
- The judge in Los Angeles now has the unenviable task of deciding if the legal eagles were playing both sides of the AI copyright battlefield.
Brief Summary
In the latest round of the legal cage match over AI training data, art community DeviantArt is now throwing haymakers at the law firm representing its accuser. The gallery is demanding a federal judge disqualify Crowell & Moring from representing photographer Evox, alleging the firm is a two-timing double agent. Specifically, DeviantArt claims Crowell counseled its parent company, Wix.com, on AI lawsuits, regulations, and even the inner workings of its DreamUp image generator between 2022 and 2024 — all while later turning around to sue them on behalf of Evox for copyright infringement.
Why This Matters
This isn’t just petty law-firm squabbling; it's a warning shot to anyone playing fast and loose with attorney-client loyalty. For the broader public, this is a peek behind the curtain at the messy, hypocritical web of conflicts that underpins the booming AI industry, where everyone is suing everyone over who fed what data to the machines. More practically, if you’re a company dealing with AI, this is a reminder that 'we haven't billed you lately' doesn't mean your lawyer isn't pulling info from your files to use against you. It’s a trust issue, and in a sector where intellectual property is the only currency, losing your legal confidant to the other side is a corporate nightmare with a very expensive price tag.