Intellectual Property

  • June 25, 2024

    Prolitec Can't Dodge Claims In Air Freshener Patent Dispute

    A federal judge in Delaware has refused to toss patent infringement counterclaims against Prolitec concerning designs for a computer-operated scent delivery system owned by ScentAir, saying it's too early for a ruling.

  • June 25, 2024

    Judge Moves Music Publishers' IP Suit Against AI Co. To Calif.

    A Tennessee federal judge has said the Volunteer State wasn't the right place to hear a copyright lawsuit from a group of music publishers against an artificial intelligence company, deciding to ship the case to California.

  • June 25, 2024

    Google Tells Fed. Circ. To Eye ITC's Powers If Chevron Ends

    As the U.S. Supreme Court considers abolishing or narrowing precedent requiring deference to the legal interpretations of government agencies, a key part of the U.S. International Trade Commission's patent authority should be reconsidered, Google has told the full Federal Circuit.

  • June 25, 2024

    Fed. Circ. Won't Ship Patent Suit Against Apple Back To Texas

    The Federal Circuit on Tuesday denied a bid from patent-owning technology company Haptic Inc. to send its infringement suit back to Texas after it was transferred to California earlier this year, saying it wasn't going to second-guess the lower court's decision.

  • June 25, 2024

    Snell & Wilmer Adds Kirkland IP Partner In DC

    A longtime Kirkland & Ellis LLP litigator has jumped to Snell & Wilmer LLP's intellectual property group in Washington, D.C., the firm announced Monday.

  • June 25, 2024

    Breaking IP Barriers: Q&A With Harrity's Elaine Spector

    Harrity & Harrity LLP partner Elaine Spector has helped shape multiple firms' leave policies after watching other parents face pressure to work shortly after having a child.

  • June 24, 2024

    Nixon Peabody Snags IP Litigator From Davis Wright In LA

    Nixon Peabody LLP continues to fortify its intellectual property practice with the addition of a former Davis Wright Tremaine LLP litigator, who joins as counsel in the firm's Los Angeles office.

  • June 24, 2024

    Justices Will Weigh Liability Of Corporate Affiliates In TM Row

    The U.S. Supreme Court will review whether a real estate development company's corporate affiliates should be responsible for a $46.6 million trademark infringement judgment — even though they were not defendants — in a case attorneys said Monday could have ramifications beyond the Lanham Act.

  • June 24, 2024

    ITC Shouldn't Oversee Patent Disputes, Utah Law Prof Argues

    The U.S. International Trade Commission should no longer be in control of deciding when infringing imports are banned from the country, a prominent patent law academic at the University of Utah's S.J. Quinney College of Law says.

  • June 24, 2024

    Pet Toy Maker Says It Never Inked Parent Co. Licensing Deal

    Pet toy maker Kong has told a Colorado federal judge that it never gave a parent company permission to use its trademark for a line of large animal toys, claiming in motions that the company used the Kong brand anyway and deleted social media accounts with evidence of the infringement.

  • June 24, 2024

    AI Cos. Hit With Copyright Claims From Music Labels

    Two artificial intelligence startups are facing copyright litigation by Sony Music Entertainment and a group of major record labels, claiming they rip off artists' songs without getting consent.

  • June 24, 2024

    JPMorgan Should Save Data Sob Story For Feds, Argus Says

    TransUnion and its data unit Argus Information & Advisory Services have told a Delaware federal judge that they plan to seek dismissal of a JPMorgan Chase & Co. lawsuit tied to their recent $37 million settlement with the government over claims that Argus misused credit card data it was collecting from banks on regulators' behalf.

  • June 24, 2024

    Bid To Undo $71M Christmas Tree Patent Verdict Rejected

    A Minnesota federal judge on Monday rejected a posttrial motion by Polygroup Ltd. seeking to overturn a $71.4 million judgment against it for infringing rival Willis Electric Co Ltd.'s artificial Christmas tree patent, saying the company failed to show that the verdict was against the clear weight of the evidence.

  • June 24, 2024

    Flag Football Co. Fights To Keep TM Dispute Alive

    A simmering feud over the national leadership of flag football within the U.S. has intensified in Texas federal court, with the organization challenging the group holding itself out as the sport's governing body urging the judge to keep the dispute alive.

  • June 24, 2024

    DC Circ. Backs Gov't Contractor Win In Fight With Ex-Worker

    The D.C. Circuit has backed a ruling that a former senior technical manager for government contractor Apprio Inc. breached a proprietary information agreement giving the rights of certain software he created over to the company.

  • June 24, 2024

    Research Co. Seeks Sanctions On Proud Boys Atty In IP Suit

    A Texas research firm pursuing copyright infringement claims against a group of defense attorneys who represented members of the Proud Boys wants one of the lawyers sanctioned for filing "a frivolous and groundless counterclaim" in the D.C. federal court litigation.

  • June 24, 2024

    Catching Up With Delaware's Chancery Court

    Amendments to Delaware's General Corporation Law topped the news out of the Court of Chancery again last week, as the hotly contested measure sailed through the state's legislature. Tesla and its shareholders continued their tug-of-war over attorney fees for Chancery litigation about Elon Musk's pay package, and new cases were filed involving biotechs, car rental companies, workout platforms, telecom towers, and a cargo ship fire in Brazil.

  • June 24, 2024

    High Court Passes On Religious Webcasters' Royalty Hike Suit

    The U.S. Supreme Court refused Monday to review the federal Copyright Royalty Board's latest hike in royalty rates webcasters must pay to play audio recordings, turning away a radio trade group's appeal challenging one of the increases on religious freedom and administrative procedure grounds.

  • June 24, 2024

    High Court To Review $46.6M Award Over 'Dewberry' TM Fight

    The U.S. Supreme Court on Monday granted a real estate development company's request to review a $46.6 million trademark infringement award that petitioners argued violated federal law by making its corporate affiliates responsible for the amount.

  • June 21, 2024

    Quinn Emanuel Rips Columbia's 'Utterly Meritless' Filing Bid

    Quinn Emanuel Urquhart & Sullivan LLP told the Federal Circuit on Friday that Columbia University's bid to introduce a former Norton Lifelock computer scientist's declaration claiming the company's former lawyers at the firm are lying about his refusal to testify in the school's decade-long $600 million patent case is "utterly meritless."

  • June 21, 2024

    Apple Won't Offer AI Tools In EU Due To Regulatory Concerns

    Apple confirmed Friday that the tech giant isn't planning on releasing new artificial intelligence features in the European Union this year due to "regulatory uncertainties" involving the bloc's new Digital Markets Act and the potential security risks that complying with the DMA could pose to Apple users.

  • June 21, 2024

    Drug Cos., IP Attys Back Cellect In High Court Efforts

    A petition by patent litigation outfit Cellect that is looking to persuade the U.S. Supreme Court to wade into a double patenting dispute has drawn support from even more lawyers as well as a handful of major drugmakers and small tech companies like Sonos.

  • June 21, 2024

    Drugmakers Decline To Drop Patent Listings After FTC Letters

    The eight pharmaceutical companies that the Federal Trade Commission warned in April may have improperly listed patents for its products in a key federal database have chosen not to remove any patents or otherwise alter their listings, according to a document released Friday.

  • June 21, 2024

    After Fed. Circ. Win, Bausch Sues Alvogen Over Drug Patents

    Bausch's Salix Pharmaceuticals has launched a lawsuit against Alvogen's Norwich Pharmaceuticals unit in a New Jersey federal court, claiming that its planned generic version of Xifaxan, a blockbuster diarrhea and brain disorder drug, infringes a set of patents.

  • June 21, 2024

    Chicago Cubs Cry Foul Over Rooftop Owner's Ticket Sales

    The Chicago Cubs have sued the owner of a rooftop venue with a view of Wrigley Field, accusing him of selling tickets for Cubs games and other events at the stadium despite having an expired license to do so and profiting off the infringement of the Cubs' intellectual property rights.

Expert Analysis

  • Key Factors In Establishing Compelling Merits At The PTAB

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    A look at over 450 Patent Trial and Appeal Board decisions between June 2022 and now provides insights into strategies for petitioners and patent owners in establishing compelling merits arguments in post-grant proceedings, say David Holman and Tyler Liu at Sterne Kessler.

  • Litigation Inspiration: A Source Of Untapped Fulfillment

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    As increasing numbers of attorneys struggle with stress and mental health issues, business litigators can find protection against burnout by remembering their important role in society — because fulfillment in one’s work isn’t just reserved for public interest lawyers, say Bennett Rawicki and Peter Bigelow at Hilgers Graben.

  • Takeaways From USPTO's AI-Assisted Invention Guidance

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    Recently issued guidance from the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office clarifies how patent inventorship is to be determined when AI is involved, and while the immediate risk of prosecution for failing to meet the new standards appears low, the extent of examiners’ scrutiny remains to be seen, say attorneys at Foley & Lardner.

  • The Taylor Swift Effect: Leveraging IP Thresholds In Ads

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    The Cetaphil #GameTimeGlow commercial, which aired before the Super Bowl, has garnered attention for its indirect use of Taylor Swift-related symbols that were easily spotted by fans — sparking questions about the legality of nodding to the iconic pop star without violating intellectual property rights, say attorneys at ​​​​​​​Brooks Kushman.

  • 5 Ways To Hone Deposition Skills And Improve Results

    Excerpt from Practical Guidance
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    Depositions must never be taken for granted in the preparations needed to win a dispositive motion or a trial, and five best practices, including knowing when to hire a videographer, can significantly improve outcomes, says James Argionis at Cozen O'Connor.

  • Series

    Skiing Makes Me A Better Lawyer

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    A lifetime of skiing has helped me develop important professional skills, and taught me that embracing challenges with a spirit of adventure can allow lawyers to push boundaries, expand their capabilities and ultimately excel in their careers, says Andrea Przybysz at Tucker Ellis.

  • Can A DAO Be Sued? SDNY Case May Hold The Answer

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    A case pending in the Southern District of New York will examine whether decentralized crypto co-op MakerDAO is a partnership with the capacity to be sued in federal court, and the decision could shape how legal frameworks will adapt to accommodate blockchain technologies moving forward, say attorneys at Haynes Boone.

  • Navigating Trade Secret Litigation In A High-Stakes Landscape

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    Recent eye-popping verdicts are becoming increasingly common in trade secret litigation — but employers can take several proactive steps to protect proprietary information and defend against misappropriation accusations in order to avoid becoming the next headline, say Jessica Mason and Jack FitzGerald at Foley & Lardner.

  • Disney Copyright Expiration Spurs Trademark Questions

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    While the recent expiration of Disney’s Steamboat Willie copyright is not likely to have an immediate impact, it could provide clarity on the extent to which trademark rights in character names and appearance affect what others can do with characters from works whose copyright has expired, says Bryan Wheelock at Harness IP.

  • Think Like A Lawyer: Forget Everything You Know About IRAC

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    The mode of legal reasoning most students learn in law school, often called “Issue, Rule, Application, Conclusion,” or IRAC, erroneously frames analysis as a separate, discrete step, resulting in disorganized briefs and untold obfuscation — but the fix is pretty simple, says Luke Andrews at Poole Huffman.

  • Opinion

    There Is No NCAA Supremacy Clause, Especially For NIL

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    A recent Tennessee federal court ruling illustrates the NCAA's problematic position that its member schools should violate state law rather than its rules — and the organization's legal history with the dormant commerce clause raises a fundamental constitutional issue that will have to be resolved before attorneys can navigate NIL with confidence, says Patrick O’Donnell at HWG.

  • Valeant Ruling May Pave Way For Patent-Based FCA Suits

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    The Ninth Circuit’s recent ruling in Silbersher v. Valeant marks a significant development in False Claims Act jurisprudence, opens new avenues for litigation and potentially raises the stakes for patent applicants who intend to do business with the government, say Joshua Robbins and Rick Taché at Buchalter.

  • Webpages Must Meet Accessibility Standard To Be Prior Art

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    The Patent Trial and Appeal Board's First Solar Inc. v. Rovshan Sade decision, that an available internet resource doesn't necessarily qualify as a prior art "printed publication" that is publicly accessible, serves as a reminder of the unforgiving requirements that must be satisfied to establish that a reference is a printed publication, say attorneys at Akin.

  • The Pros And Cons Of Protecting AI As Trade Secrets

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    Despite regulatory trends toward greater transparency of artificial intelligence models, federal policy acknowledges, and perhaps endorses, trade secret protection for AI information, but there are still hurdles in keeping AI information a secret, say Jennifer Maisel and Andrew Stewart at Rothwell Figg.

  • Trending At The PTAB: Navigating A Motion To Amend

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    The Patent Trial and Appeal Board's recent decisions in motions to amend patent claims highlight the challenges of taking advantage of the board's pilot program for amending such claims, and owners and petitioners should keep several strategic considerations in mind as the program continues through mid-September, say Joshua Goldberg and Kai Rajan at Finnegan.

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