The takeaway was easy to miss in a trademark suit with so much to see — wealthy plaintiffs, a crowded docket, a bid for sanctions and a defense motion to remove the judge's law clerk, who'd worked for the plaintiffs law firm at the start of the litigation.

Most of it went largely unnoticed despite the stakes, high-profile players and litigation in federal court by Setai Hotel Acquisition LLC against Miami Beach Luxury Rental Inc. In the end, neither side admitted fault when the case settled quietly Sunday on the eve of trial.

But one thing was clear. When the dust settles, real estate professionals will have to operate under a new legal precedent for marketing private units in properties where branded hotels also operate. And they'll have to be especially attentive with online campaigns and search-engine optimization tools that suggest a link to these brands and the private rentals.