Tiger Woods hires Marty Singer's firm

By Eriq Gardner

American media pundits snickered when Tiger Woods got a London court to ban UK outlets from publishing allegedly nude photos and video of the troubled golfer, but we might begin to soon witness some legal action here in the U.S. 

Woods has hired LA entertainment litigation boutique Lavely & Singer to represent him. 

The move sends a strong message that Woods will be aggressive in protecting himself from breaches of privacy and defamation. Among the stories we've covered involving Lavely & Singer this year alone:

• Representation of "Grey's Anatomy" star Eric Dane and his actress wife Rebecca Gayheart in a lawsuit against Gawker for posting a tape of them nude with another girl.
• Representation of actor Jeremy Piven in a cease-and-desist letter to stop a theatrical play that made fun of "Sushigate."
• Representation of Jennifer Lopez in a lawsuit with her ex-husband over a purported sex tape. 
• Representation of reality star Kate Gosselin in her battle with husband Jon.
• Representation of Bruce Willis in a $8.7 million countersuit against producers of "Three Stories About Joan" 
• Representation of Oscar-winning "Milk" screenwriter Dustin Lance Black in a lawsuit over nude photos 

That's just a start. We're not sure that litigation and cease-and-desist letters are the smartest way to rehab the golfer's image, but we'll let others debate that point.