Sara Landry has filed a trademark infringement lawsuit against her former management company, The Night Department, in Manhattan federal court. According to the filing, TND continued using her name and logo after she terminated their relationship in August 2025, creating the impression they still represented her. That’s only part of the story.
Landry also alleges that TND attempted to secure 50% ownership of her music and 50% of her Hekate Records label without appropriate payment, and that their handling of her touring and label business hurt her career. The Night Department previously filed a breach of contract suit against her in U.K. court back in July 2025, which remains pending. Landry is now represented by Alicia Karlin’s ASK Management&Advisory.
The case lands right in the middle of the music industry’s biggest ongoing conversation: who really owns an artist’s work? Landry has been a major force in popularizing hard techno, and how this plays out could set a precedent for how management deals handle artist rights and trademarks. What do you think, should artists always own their name and masters, no exceptions?
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Local Lawton
Local Lawton is a contributor to LocalBeat, covering local news and community stories.