News Archive

On October 30, 2012, Mark Roesler, '82, Chairman & CEO of CMG Worldwide, Inc. delivered a lecture on “Balancing the Interests Associated with the Right of Publicity in the Era of Technological Advances,” as part of the school’s Distinguished Speaker Program. His talk was sponsored by the law school’s Center for Intellectual Property Law and Innovation. Roesler spoke to a large crowd in the Wynne Courtroom, and provided an analysis of celebrities of the past and the present and the legal concepts involved with balancing the interests associated with the right of publicity in the era of technological advances.

Roesler graduated as valedictorian from Alexandria Monroe High School in 1974, and went on to DePauw University . While in college, Roesler started his own roofing company to finance his education. After completing his undergraduate studies, Roesler earned a joint J.D. and M.B.A. through the Indiana University Robert H. McKinney School of Law and IU Kelley School of Business in 1981. Roesler started CMG Worldwide with the purpose of protecting the rights of famous deceased people, as well as generating income for their estates by marketing their names and likenesses. His first two clients were the estates of Elvis Presley and James Dean. Today, the client list has grown to over 250 deceased and living personalities. Roesler has represented the estates of many celebrities in high-profile legal battles. He has been called upon many times to provide expert witness testimonies pertaining to the net worths of celebrities. CMG Worldwide is headquartered in Indianapolis , and has offices in Los Angeles and Rio de Janeiro .