The battling Bratz.

The long-time war between North Hills-based MGA Entertainment and archrival Mattel Inc. has gotten a bit more intense, with MGA's latest salvo being a lawsuit that accuses Mattel of unfair competition, intellectual property infringement and "serial copycatting." MGA claims that Mattel has threatened retailers and licensees with retribution if they do business with MGA and that Mattel tried to lock up the supply of doll hair.

MGA's suit comes on the heels of a lawsuit that Mattel filed at the end of last year. Mattel's suit which was later dismissed claimed that Ronald Brawer, a former Mattel employee had left the company for MGA, in the process providing the Valley company with highly sensitive and privileged information.

But MGA will have to fight an uphill battle to prove that Mattel, the makers of Barbie, had imitated the design of its Bratz dolls. According to Karen Canady, an intellectual property attorney in the Los Angeles office of Gates and Cooper LLP, such cases involve highly subjective information that is difficult to prove in a court of law.

"It's possible that the dolls in question might look alike, but if the look isn't something that can be protected then MGA will have troubles winning. The look in question would have to be completely unique to the Bratz," Canady said. "I think in all likelihood it's not just about the look and feel of the stuff. Part of the problem is that the lawyers will have to focus on what components can be legally protected and what you legally cannot protect."

Either way, it would appear that with its latest move, MGA is hoping to further crush its ailing competitor. In recent weeks, Mattel has stated that falling sales of Barbie dolls contributed to a 28 percent decline in its first-quarter profit, leading its stock to decline. Sales of Barbie worldwide were down 15 percent while yearly Mattel sales have been relatively flat.

Staff Reporter Jeff Weiss can be reached at [phone] or at [e-mail].