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Intellectual Property
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August 06, 2024
DC Circ. Rules Russia Is Immune From Suit Over Jewish Texts
The D.C. Circuit ruled Tuesday that the federal court never had jurisdiction over a Jewish group's decades-old allegations that Russia is illegally holding on to its long-lost sacred texts, finding that the country has sovereign immunity and voiding nearly $200 million in fines levied against Russia.
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August 06, 2024
Lowe's Must Face Retail Logistics Co.'s Software IP Suit
Lowe's Home Centers LLC lost its bid to dismiss a retail logistics company's claims it ripped off a merchandise return management software and breached its contract with that software's manufacturer, with a North Carolina federal judge declining to fully toss any of the claims but flagging that some contradicted each other.
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August 05, 2024
No Atty Fees For Either Side After $8K Copyright Verdict
A Washington federal judge refused Monday to grant plaintiff Enterprise Management's request for over $920,000 in fees after winning an $8,000 copyright verdict, finding that although it was the prevailing party, it "filed meritless claims, knowingly pursued baseless claims, and sought settlement amounts that exceeded the value of this case."
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August 05, 2024
$96M Award Cut To $34M After Justices' Lanham Act Ruling
An Oklahoma federal judge on Monday reduced a $96 million trademark infringement award that went to the U.S. Supreme Court to about $34.4 million after justices concluded last year the Lanham Act applies only to domestic conduct in commerce.
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August 05, 2024
30 Wig Cos. Targeted At ITC In Patent Suit By JBS Hair
A small Georgia company that calls itself "a leading innovator in the synthetic and human hair industry" is going to the U.S. International Trade Commission to complain about some 30 rivals it says are importing patent-infringing synthetic wigs, including one that was promoted by actress Vivica Fox.
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August 05, 2024
Inari Agriculture Can't Sink Patent Case Over Corn Seed
A legal fight between a DowDuPont spinoff and a Massachusetts plant breeding startup over the exporting of patent-protected corn seed will continue to grow in Delaware federal court, unimpeded by DuPont researchers' decision to publicly deposit their seeds.
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August 05, 2024
Fanatics Wants Disputed Deal With Cardinals Rookie Sealed
Seeking to protect "sensitive, nonpublic commercial information" about its breach of contract suit against NFL rookie Marvin Harrison Jr., Fanatics asked a New York state court Monday to seal all unredacted parts of the complaint and of several related filings, including Harrison's motion to dismiss the suit.
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August 05, 2024
Full Fed. Circ. Won't Eye Ruling Clarifying Foreign Damages
The full Federal Circuit declined Monday to review a decision that clarified how to apply a 2018 U.S. Supreme Court ruling on foreign damages in patent cases while rejecting Trading Technologies' bid to increase a $6.6 million verdict it won against IBG LLC.
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August 05, 2024
Music, Movie Orgs. Address Deepfake Proposals
Representatives from the music, movie and video game industries were among the speakers Monday at a U.S. Patent and Trademark Office roundtable regarding what legislation may be needed to address the explosion of deepfakes created with the growing power of artificial intelligence.
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August 05, 2024
Google, OpenAI Accused Of Using YouTube Videos To Train AI
A California man has hit Google and OpenAI with separate proposed class actions in federal court accusing the companies of unlawfully transcribing YouTube videos and using them to train their large language model artificial intelligence products without the permission of the people who uploaded those videos.
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August 05, 2024
Pegasystems Slams Appian's 'Animus' After $2B Verdict Axed
Business software maker Pegasystems says rival Appian's "animus" is behind a series of what it says are irrelevant, premature and burdensome discovery requests, after a Virginia appeals court vacated a $2 billion trade secrets judgment against Pegasystems.
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August 05, 2024
J&J, Generics Spar In Remand On Schizophrenia Drug Patent
Following a Federal Circuit ruling that gave generics makers Teva and Viatris a new shot at trying to invalidate the last remaining patent on Johnson & Johnson's blockbuster schizophrenia drug Invega Sustenna, the parties are sparring over the impact of the appeals court's decision.
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August 05, 2024
Mattel Beats $46M Contract Suit Over Reality Show Idea
A California jury has entered a verdict for Mattel Inc. in a $46 million contract suit brought against it by the company of "Lone Survivor" producer Norton Herrick alleging that the toy-maker stole its idea for a reality show in which inventors pitch toys to child judges, concluding there was no contract breach.
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August 05, 2024
Musk Accuses OpenAI Of Fraud, RICO Over Business Model
Elon Musk on Monday accused OpenAI Inc. and its leaders of violating several laws related to fraud, conspiracy, contract violations and false advertising by claiming he was wrongly told the company would remain a nonprofit, in a suit filed in California federal court.
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August 05, 2024
Kirkland & Ellis Adds Ex-Prosecutor As IP Partner In Calif.
Kirkland & Ellis LLP has bolstered its intellectual property litigation capabilities in its Bay Area office with the addition of a seasoned senior federal prosecutor, who has experience with high-profile cases like that of the attempted kidnapping of then-Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi and the attack on her husband.
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August 02, 2024
Judge Knocks Stuffing Out Of Build-A-Bear's Missouri IP Suit
A Missouri federal judge on Friday tossed Build-A-Bear Workshop's lawsuit seeking a declaration that its new Skoosherz stuffed toy line doesn't infringe trade dress rights claimed by Kelly Toys' popular Squishmallows, finding that the Missouri court doesn't have jurisdiction over the IP dispute, which is also being litigated in California.
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August 02, 2024
Boeing Wins Trim Of Rival Engineering Co.'s IP Case, For Now
A Washington federal judge has significantly trimmed an aerospace engineering firm's suit accusing Boeing of stealing patented technology, agreeing with Boeing that many of the claims are inadequate to proceed at this stage, but giving the firm the opportunity to amend them.
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August 02, 2024
Ex-Exec Can't Escape Drug Co.'s Trade Secret Suit
The North Carolina Business Court refused to give a win before trial to the former president of a United Therapeutics Corp. subsidiary on a claim that he took trade secrets to a rival, with the court reasoning the drug company took reasonable steps to protect the secrets beyond a three-year limit in his employment agreement.
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August 02, 2024
Wheeling & Appealing: The Latest Must-Know Appellate Action
In this inaugural edition of Wheeling & Appealing, Law360 recaps recent appellate opinions that made waves, quizzes readers about a new word for judicial grievances, and previews August arguments in circuit courts over controversial wage rules and a seven-figure attorney fee award after a digital age intellectual property trial.
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August 02, 2024
Shopify Fights Off Infringement Suit Over Retail Patents
A Los Angeles federal judge has ruled that the CEO of a failed digital media startup can't sue using patents he landed a few years ago to cover ideas he says Shopify took from him years earlier because the patents aren't inventive enough.
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August 02, 2024
Microphone Co. Eyes Sanctions After Scoring Win In IP Row
A maker of microphone isolation products that won a trade dress infringement lawsuit at trial has asked a California federal court to order a rival and its counsel to pay its attorney fees because of a "repeated pattern of vexatious litigation in the face of overwhelming and contrary law."
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August 02, 2024
Bike Co. Says It's Lost 'Millions' From Royalty Deal Breaches
A Colorado bicycle company has sued machinery manufacturer Gates Corp. in Denver District Court for allegedly breaking promises under a joint licensing and distribution deal, claiming Gates may be trying to dodge millions of dollars in royalty payments by encouraging rival bicycle makers to use the Colorado company's invention for free.
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August 02, 2024
PNC Wants Court, Not Jury, To Hear Fintech Co. TM Defenses
PNC Financial Services Group wants a Pennsylvania federal judge, not a jury, to decide whether the bank did nothing with knowledge that Plaid Inc. was copying its logo and login screens when linking bank accounts to financial apps, PNC said in a court filing.
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August 02, 2024
Justices Urged To Hear Standing Issue For Patent Licensors
The U.S. Supreme Court has been asked to give its take on whether the terms of a decade-old loan can be used to create issues over legal standing and exclusionary rights in a lawsuit tied to radio frequency developed in the mid-2000s.
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August 02, 2024
US Cheerleading Org. Faces Fees Bid After Losing TM Suit
Bush Ross PA and the Underwood Law Firm PC are seeking more than $800,000 in attorney fees after a Florida federal judge handed their clients a summary judgment win in a trademark infringement lawsuit brought by the U.S. All Star Federation against its rivals, saying they deserve to be reimbursed for costs related to the case because it was "exceptional."
Expert Analysis
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Practicing Law With Parkinson's Disease
This Parkinson’s Awareness Month, Adam Siegler at Greenberg Traurig discusses his experience working as a lawyer with Parkinson’s disease, sharing both lessons on how to cope with a diagnosis and advice for supporting colleagues who live with the disease.
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When Trade Secret Protection And Nat'l Security Converge
The Trump administration's anti-espionage program focused on China is over, but federal enforcement efforts to protect trade secrets and U.S. national security continue, and companies doing business in high-risk jurisdictions need to maintain their compliance programs to avoid the risk of being caught in the crosshairs of an investigation, say attorneys at Baker McKenzie.
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Why Incorporating By Reference Is Rarely Good Practice
The Federal Circuit’s recent ruling in Promptu Systems v. Comcast serves as a reminder that while incorporating by reference may seem efficient, it is generally prohibited by courts and can lead to sanctions when used to bypass a word count limit, says Cullen Seltzer at Sands Anderson.
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Series
Playing Hockey Makes Me A Better Lawyer
Nearly a lifetime of playing hockey taught me the importance of avoiding burnout in all aspects of life, and the game ultimately ended up providing me with the balance I needed to maintain success in my legal career, says John Riccione at Taft.
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Considerations For Evaluating IP Risks In Cannabis M&A
Due to the patchwork of state cannabis laws in the U.S., investors and businesses acquiring intellectual property must assess whether a trademark portfolio possesses any vulnerabilities, such as marks that are considered attractive to children or third-party claims of trademark infringement, say Mary Shapiro and Nicole Katsin at Evoke Law.
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9th Circ. TM Ruling Expands Courts' Role In Application Cases
The Ninth Circuit’s recent ruling in BBK Tobacco v. Central Coast Agriculture is the first time a federal appeals court has explicitly authorized district courts to adjudicate pending trademark applications, marking a potentially significant expansion of federal courts' power, says Saul Cohen at Kelly IP.
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For Lawyers, Pessimism Should Be A Job Skill, Not A Life Skill
A pessimistic mindset allows attorneys to be effective advocates for their clients, but it can come with serious costs for their personal well-being, so it’s crucial to exercise strategies that produce flexible optimism and connect lawyers with their core values, says Krista Larson at Stinson.
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UK Amazon Ruling Spotlights TM Rights In International Sales
Highlighting the conflict between the territorial nature of trademark rights and the borderless nature of the internet, the U.K. Supreme Court's recent decision — that Amazon's U.S. website could infringe EU and U.K. rights by targeting local buyers — offers guidance on navigating trademark rights in relation to online sales, say Emmy Hunt, Mark Kramer and Jordan Mitchell at Potter Clarkson.
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CORRECTED: Endoscope Patent Case Offers Guidance On Right To Repair
An Alabama federal court's decision in Karl Storz v. IMS reaffirmed that product owners have broad rights to repair or modify their property as they see fit, highlighting the parameters of the right to repair in the context of patent infringement, say Dustin Weeks and Dabney Carr at Troutman Pepper. Correction: Due to an editing error, a previous version of this article and headline attributed the Karl Storz ruling to the wrong court. The error has been corrected.
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Timing Is Key For Noninfringing Alternatives In Patent Cases
A Texas district court’s recent ruling in Smart Path Connections v. Nokia may affect the timing of expert disclosures and opinion regarding noninfringing alternatives in patent infringement litigation, for both defendants and plaintiffs, says Alexander Clemons at Ocean Tomo.
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Opinion
Requiring Leave To File Amicus Briefs Is A Bad Idea
A proposal to amend the Federal Rules of Appellate Procedure that would require parties to get court permission before filing federal amicus briefs would eliminate the long-standing practice of consent filing and thereby make the process less open and democratic, says Lawrence Ebner at the Atlantic Legal Foundation and DRI Center.
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Film Plagiarism Claims May Foreshadow AI Copyright Issues
The contentious plagiarism dispute over the Oscar-nominated screenplay for "The Holdovers" may portend the challenges screenwriters will face when attempting to prove copyright infringement against scripts generated by artificial intelligence technology, says Craig Smith at Lando & Anastasi.
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4 Ways To Motivate Junior Attorneys To Bring Their Best
As Gen Z and younger millennial attorneys increasingly express dissatisfaction with their work and head for the exits, the lawyers who manage them must understand and attend to their needs and priorities to boost engagement and increase retention, says Stacey Schwartz at Katten.
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The Tricky Implications Of New Calif. Noncompete Laws
Two new California noncompete laws that ban certain out-of-state agreements and require employers to notify certain workers raise novel issues related to mergers and acquisitions, and pose particular challenges for technology companies, says John Viola at Thompson Coburn.
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Patent Ownership Issues In Light Of USPTO AI Guidance
Recently published guidance from the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office establishes that inventions created using artificial intelligence may be patentable if a human also significantly contributes, but ownership and legal rights in these types of patents are different issues that require further assessment, says Karl Gross at Leydig Voit.