Pomona, CA asked in Contracts, Copyright, Employment Law and Employment Discrimination for California

Q: Iam a licensed cosmetologist. Is it illegal to advertise pictures of hair I have previously done at another shop?

Only way to know it was at that shop is the paint color in the background. I work somewhere else now and the owner to the previous shop threatened me saying she's going to sue me because the pictures belong to her since it was at her shop. However the clients have followed me to the new shop and I was the person who cut the hair in the picture. Can see take me to court and sue me over this?

3 Lawyer Answers

A: Yes it is possible that you could face liability. However far more would need to be known before anyone could give you a definitive answer. You need to seek out a specific consultation with an attorney.

Good luck to you.

A: Q. "Is it illegal to advertise pictures of hair I have previously done at another shop?"

The answer is that depends on several factors which you did not mention. Where and how do you plan to advertise the pictures?

Did the owner of your former salon employ you, i.e., were you an employee? Or did you simply pay monthly for the chair you used? That would make a difference in the advice you would be given.

Bottom line is there are no easy answers. You need to provide a lot more information. To be safe, I suggest you consult with a local attorney who handles a variety of different matters. Often you can get a free consultation to see if the attorney can provide the kind of advice you need. You might try calling a few local law firms to see if you can talk to a lawyer who can advise you.

Yelena Gurevich agrees with this answer

A: Maybe

consult with an attorney

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