Actress Cindy Latch Battles Unauthorized Image Exploitation in Florida Lawsuit
Latch Seeks to Protect Her Brand After Years of Misappropriation by Biote-Affiliated Clinics
April 4, 2025 – Cindy Latch, a commercial actress and TV host, has filed a lawsuit and request for temporary injunction alleging that 19 Florida-based medical clinics unlawfully exploited her image and likeness for commercial gain — years after her consent was withdrawn.
In a story that highlights the increasingly urgent battle over image rights in the digital age, Latch asserts that her likeness was used without permission to promote Biote medical products and services. Biote is a leading hormone therapy company for whom Latch worked as a commercial actress.
Despite a strict contractual agreement dating back to 2015 limiting usage rights to paid terms, the complaint reveals numerous Biote-affiliated providers continued to use her image well beyond the expiration of her contract in February 2021.
Filed on April 2, 2025, in the 13th Judicial Circuit Court in Hillsborough County, near Tampa Bay, Florida, Latch’s complaint outlines a pattern of persistent infringement even after repeated demands to cease use, a court-issued temporary restraining order, and a temporary injunction issued by the 101st District Court of Dallas County.
As of today, at least 7 of the named clinics allegedly continue to display Latch’s likeness across their websites, social media platforms, and promotional videos – all for the benefit of their commercial interests.
“These defendants were told to stop, ordered to stop, and yet they continued to use our client's image,” said William A. Brewer III, founding partner at Brewer, Attorneys & Counselors and lead counsel for Ms. Latch. “Our client believes that this is a textbook example of commercial misappropriation. These clinics and Biote capitalized on Ms. Latch’s brand equity and image to attract business while ignoring the law.”
At the heart of the dispute is Latch’s former collaboration with Biote Medical LLC. Under a series of "Image Usage Contracts," Biote had the right to use Latch’s promotional materials — but only so long as payments were timely and consent remained valid. According to the complaint, those contracts explicitly required that affiliates remove all content 30 days after payment stopped or authorization ended.
The lawsuit says that when Latch withdrew her consent in 2021 and Biote’s license expired, many affiliated providers ignored the termination and continued using her image. Despite receiving written instructions from Biote in September 2021 to remove the content — and a court-ordered injunction in December 2024 — numerous providers allegedly continued to refuse to comply. Latch filed suit against Biote Medical LLC in November 2024.
The most recent complaint cites violations of Florida’s unauthorized publication of name or likeness statute, common law invasion of privacy by misappropriation, unjust enrichment, and civil conspiracy. Latch seeks monetary damages, injunctive relief, disgorgement of profits, and punitive damages.
The clinics named in the suit span the state from Fort Lauderdale to Jacksonville to Sarasota and include some still actively using her image for their own profit on social media. Most only ceased after legal action was initiated.
“This isn’t just about me. It’s about drawing a clear line,” says Latch. “Professionals deserve control over how their image is used. If companies can ignore contracts and court orders without consequence, then no one’s brand is safe.”
William Brewer Writes About Embracing AI, Alternative Billing Models
April 3, 2025 — In a recently published Law360 article, William A. Brewer III argues the billable hour isn't just outdated – it's a liability threatening firms clinging to antiquated billing models.
In "Firms Must Embrace Alternative Billing Methods or Fall Behind," Brewer highlights the risk for firms reliant on antiquated billing models in a legal market reshaped by AI, enhanced competition, and growing demand for outcome-based fee arrangements. Brewer states, “Law firms face a choice: evolve or fade into irrelevance. To stay competitive, they must ditch the billable hour, embrace AI, and accelerate their digital transformation – before it’s too late.”
Brewer predicts that firms willing to adopt outcome-based fee arrangements will gain a decisive edge. Clients, he notes, are demanding results and will become increasingly unwilling to bankroll unproductive hours. Frustrated, they will seek alternatives.
“As more companies seek legal services that prioritize outcomes over hours, the firms that embrace this new paradigm will gain a decisive competitive advantage. Those who resist will lose ground to tech-savvy boutiques, Big Four firms and legal startups that aren't shackled by tradition.”
Brewer then addresses Big Law directly, stating, “Big Law must evolve now to stay ahead. The firms that embrace AI, ditch the billable hour and redefine their value proposition will thrive. This is the dawn of a golden age. Technology holds the promise of less drudgery, expanded access to justice, and firms empowered to deliver sharper, faster and more strategic legal services. Change isn't coming — it's here. And the firms that are embracing it won't just survive. They'll set the standard for the future.”
Star-Telegram Reports Keller ISD Drops Controversial Plan, VRA Lawsuit Continues
March 14, 2025 - The Fort Worth Star-Telegram reports that while the Keller Independent School District board no longer is considering splitting the district, a voting rights lawsuit against the district will continue.
The Brewer Storefront filed suit in federal court on behalf of plaintiff Claudio Vallejo against the Keller Independent School District (KISD), alleging that the school district’s election system violates Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act of 1965 because it denies fair representation to Hispanic voters. The lawsuit further alleges violations of the Fourteenth and Fifteenth Amendments.
Filed in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Texas, Fort Worth Division, on February 14, 2025, the lawsuit takes aim at the school district’s at-large voting system which denies Hispanic voters an opportunity to elect school board representatives of their choosing. The Storefront is the community impact legal affiliate of Brewer, Attorneys & Counselors.
Brewer Storefront Partner William Brewer told the Star-Telegram that the Voting Rights Act lawsuit challenging the at large election system used to elect school board trustees will go forward.
“We are pleased that Keller ISD — in the face of the legal action taken by our client — reconsidered splitting the district,” Brewer said. “Of course, our client will press forward with his Voting Rights Act lawsuit against Keller ISD and continue to shine a light on actions detrimental to the district’s academic mission.”
Read more here.
Chambers and Partners Recognizes Brewer Firm in Texas Regional Spotlight
March 3, 2025 – Brewer, Attorneys & Counselors has been recognized in the Chambers and Partners Texas Regional Spotlight Guide 2025 for Dallas in the category of Commercial Litigation. This is the second consecutive year that Brewer has been awarded spotlight recognition.
Based in London, Chambers ranks and provides insights into law firms and lawyers globally. The legal research company uses in-depth research methodology and conducts detailed interviews to determine rankings. The regional spotlight recognizes small and medium-sized boutique law firms well-known for their expertise in selected practice areas.
“We appreciate the recognition by Chambers and Partners," said William A. Brewer III, founding partner at Brewer, Attorneys & Counselors. “All credit goes to our professionals who – at every level – are driven by the rush of big-ticket litigation. This recognition is testament to their skills and passion for advocacy.”
With decades of experience, the Brewer firm has built a reputation for tackling some of the most challenging commercial disputes nationwide. The firm’s professional staff includes consultants, accountants, investigators, and public relations experts – who all partner with attorneys to create a fully integrated legal team dedicated to advocacy at the highest level.
Fort Worth Star-Telegram Reports on Voting Rights Lawsuit Against Keller ISD
February 14, 2025 – The Fort Worth Star-Telegram reports that Brewer Storefront filed a lawsuit against the Keller Independent School District (KISD) in federal court on behalf of plaintiff and Keller parent Claudio Vallejo, alleging that the district's at-large election system violates the Voting Rights Act of 1965.
The article states that the at-large electoral system dilutes the votes of minority voters, particularly Hispanic voters. The report also referred to the current "uproar" over a proposal to split Keller ISD in half, seeking to separate the relative more affluent and white east side from the less affluent, more racially diverse west side. Five of Keller's seven board members reside on the east side.
Attorney William A. Brewer III, partner at Brewer Storefront and lead counsel for Vallejo, provided a statement to the Star-Telegram: “The at-large election system used by Keller ISD dilutes the votes of the significant number of Hispanic citizens. Given the racial polarization that exists, white voters are able to block Hispanic voters from electing school board candidates of their choosing — those who would best represent their schools, children and community. As the controversial proposal to split the district in two underscores, the consequence of the at-large voting scheme is a collection of white trustees who are out of touch with the needs of the majority of the children who attend KISD schools.”
Read more here.
Brewer Star-Telegram Op-Ed Urges Keller ISD to Abandon At-Large Voting
February 6, 2025 — Brewer Storefront Chairman William Brewer writes in the Fort Worth Star-Telegram that at-large election systems disadvantage minority voters. He points to the use of at-large voting to elect school board trustees in the Keller Independent School District as one example of how at large voting systems fail voters.
"The controversy surrounding a proposal to break up the Keller Independent School District raises fresh concerns about a voting system widely recognized as discriminatory: at-large voting," Brewer writes in the opening of the opinion piece.
Brewer writes that if the more racially diverse west side of the school district was better represented on the school board, a discussion about splitting the school district would not be happening as it currently is.
He suggests that cumulative voting and single-member districts offer a remedy to violations of the Voting Rights Act, for Keller ISD and other school boards.
"Even casual observers know that at-large voting schemes — in which officials are elected across an entity rather than to represent specific districts — typically result in power being consolidated in the 'majority' of voters to the exclusion of even sizable minorities in communities," Brewer writes.
He suggests that cumulative voting offers a more equitable solution and writes that "if a school board election is for three seats, a voter could cast all three votes for a single candidate. This enables smaller but cohesive voting blocs to secure representation, ensuring their voices are heard in decision-making."
Brewer concludes that, "[Keller ISD] Trustees should shelve their plans to dismantle the district and adopt a voting system that enables participation of those whose views will better reflect the students the district is failing."
Read the op-ed here.
Star-Telegram Reports on Keller ISD, Potential Brewer Storefront Legal Challenge
January 24, 2025 – The Fort Worth Star-Telegram reports today on emerging legal issues within the Keller Independent School District. The reporting chronicles the work of the Brewer Storefront, the legal community service affiliate of Brewer, Attorneys & Counselors, and notes the Storefront’s many successful cases under the Voting Rights Act.
As reported, “At issue is the district’s [Keller ISD] at-large places in which voters select candidates from across the district to fill open school board seats. Some experts believe at-large elections unfairly favor majority voting blocs and therefore violate the Voting Rights Act of 1965, which was established to ensure all registered voters have an equal voice.”
The alternative would be a single-member system in which voters elect representatives from subdistricts within the larger district. Over the past several years, legal challenges based on interpretations of the Voting Rights Act have pushed at least five North Texas school districts to change their electoral systems, says the article.
William Brewer, founding partner of Brewer, Attorneys & Counselors, said several Keller school district residents had reached out to his firm about challenging the election rules. Those inquiries were in response to a recent proposal to split the district in half, using Denton Highway as the dividing line. The plan was met with overwhelming opposition from parents at a Jan. 16 board meeting. The next public hearing is scheduled for Jan. 30.
Brewer’s firm has successfully initiated the move away from at-large voting in the Lewisville, Richardson, Carrollton-Farmers Branch, Irving and Grand Prairie school districts. He said he plans to file the lawsuit within 45 to 60 days.
“The law says in order to force a change, you need to establish preconditions,” Brewer said. “You have to show that voting is polarized — that whites are voting for whites, Hispanics prefer voting for Hispanics and Blacks are voting for Blacks. Then you have to be able to draw districts around subgroups that are contiguous and compact. Those preconditions seem to be present in Keller.”
Read more here.
Despite Injunction, Biote Continues to Misappropriate Name, Image or Likeness of Actress Cindy Latch
December 10, 2024, Dallas, Texas – A Dallas County court entered an injunction today prohibiting Biote Medical, LLC and its affiliated practitioners from using the name, image, or likeness (“NIL”) of actress Cindy Latch without her consent. Brewer, Attorneys & Counselors sought the injunction after filing a lawsuit on behalf of Latch regarding Biote’s repeated unauthorized use of Latch’s NIL.
Entered by the 101st Judicial District, Dallas County, Texas, Judge Staci Williams finds that Latch made a threshold showing that she “suffers immediate and irreparable injury” due to Biote’s misappropriation of her NIL.
During a hearing on December 9, Latch introduced evidence that dozens of practitioners continue to misappropriate her NIL on their websites even after her contract with Biote ended in February 2021. These sites are engaged in the continued “impermissible use” of her image and likeness. The order states, “…the Court finds the existence of a wrongful act on behalf of Biote, and the presence of imminent harm flowing from Biote’s invasion of Plaintiff’s privacy by misappropriation of Plaintiff’s image.”
The court previously entered a Temporary Restraining Order on November 25. However, since that date, Biote has failed to protect Latch’s personal brand or compensate her for Biote’s continued unauthorized use of her NIL. With Latch as a centerpiece of Biote’s national marketing effort, the company recently reported annual revenue of approximately $200 million.
“The evidence continues to mount in support of Ms. Latch’s claims: Biote and its affiliates continue to misappropriate Latch’s name, image or likeness in violation of her rights,” says William A. Brewer III, counsel to Ms. Latch. “This case is a beacon for those victimized by the cavalier misappropriation of their personal brand.”
The Lawsuit
Filed on November 15, 2024, in Dallas County, the lawsuit alleges breach of contract, invasion of privacy by misappropriation, negligence, and violation of the Texas Deceptive Trade Practices Act, among other violations of various state acts protecting Latch’s right to control her NIL. Latch seeks injunctive relief as well as damages exceeding $10 million.
Latch, a highly regarded actress and infomercial host, has appeared in commercials for many major brands, including Chase Bank, AT&T, and American Airlines. According to the lawsuit, “Plaintiff, like all other actresses, does not allow her image and likeness to be used for free.” Latch asserts that, “[w]ithout strict enforcement of her contractual agreements and privacy rights, [Latch] knows that her brand loses its value.”
The lawsuit alleges that Latch filmed her Biote commercials in 2013. At that time, she entered into an Image Usage Contract with Biote detailing the cost of using her NIL. The contract automatically renewed annually and Latch was paid from 2013 through 2021.
According to Latch, in 2021 Biote refused to honor the contract terms, while continuing to use her image and likeness in its national corporate marketing. In March 2021, Latch sent Biote CEO Terry Weber an invoice, as well as links to Biote-affiliated websites, confirming Biote’s continued use of her image. Two months later, Biote Chief Digital Officer Kevin Key told Latch that Biote was no longer using her likeness and that any continued use by others was not the company’s responsibility.
In September 2024, Latch again contacted Weber and asked Biote to cease use of her image. However, in blatant disregard of Latch’s repeated requests, she continues to play a starring role in Biote corporate marketing to this day. During the December 9 hearing, Latch introduced exhibits that illustrate the national reach of these violations.
The lawsuit states that, “While in breach, Biote evaded Ms. Latch’s requests to remove her image from Biote affiliated websites. Further, Biote refused Ms. Latch payment for the use of her image in accordance with the renewal terms of the contract.”
Brewer confirmed that at least 75 practitioners continue to use Latch’s NIL in promotional materials. This continues despite the TRO issued in November.
“We suspect there could be thousands of Biote partners continuing to use her image and likeness,” says William Brewer. “Our client’s brand is her currency, and she will pursue all remedies to which she is entitled.”
In addition to Mr. Brewer, Latch is represented by Brewer associates Joshua Harris and Nicholas Cacciarelli.