NEW YORK, April 29 (Reuters) - The sculptor who created
the "Fearless Girl" statue that promoted gender diversity on
Wall Street has settled a lawsuit by a State Street unit
seeking to stop her from selling replicas.
Kristen Visbal and State Street Global Advisors signed a
settlement agreement following mediation earlier in the month,
their lawyers said in a letter filed on Saturday in federal
court in Manhattan.
Terms were not disclosed. The settlement averted a trial
scheduled to begin on Monday.
State Street installed "Fearless Girl" in Manhattan's
financial district, across from the "Charging Bull" sculpture,
in March 2017 shortly before International Women's Day.
The bronze statute is about 50 inches (127 cm) tall,
depicting a girl standing proudly with her hands on her hips.
"Charging Bull" had been installed in 1989, as a symbol of
strength following the stock market crash two years earlier. It
has become a popular tourist attraction.
State Street sued Visbal in February 2019, saying her
replicas undermined its message that responsible companies
support gender diversity, and female leaders help them perform
better.
It also said the unauthorized replicas damaged its goodwill,
and amounted to copyright and trademark infringement.
"Fearless Girl" is now located outside the New York Stock
Exchange.
In a joint statement, State Street and Visbal said: "The
parties are proud of the dialogue and change that Fearless Girl
has inspired over the past seven years."
State Street Global Advisors has about $4.13 trillion of
assets under management, according to its website.
The case is State Street Global Advisors Trust Co v Visbal,
U.S. District Court, Southern District of New York, No.
19-01719.
(Reporting by Jonathan Stempel in New York)