Although “serious transgression,” Judge Allows Fairey to Switch Lawyers

U.S. District Judge Alvin K. Hellerstein granted artist Shepard Fairey’s request to change lawyers. Judge Hellerstein did stipulate that Fairey can be questioned by lawyers on why he changed his story about which 2006 photograph he used to create the famous Barack Obama HOPE poster.

Hellerstein also stated that he had “never seen anything like this,” calling Fairey’s actions a “serious transgression.” Hellerstein allowed the switch because he wanted “this case to be decided on the merits.”