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Intellectual Property
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August 07, 2024
Pool Co. Can't Get Atty Fees After Losing False Ads Trial
A pool parts supplier on the hook for a $16 million false advertising and unfair business practices judgment isn't entitled to attorney fees in the case, a North Carolina federal judge has ruled, finding there's "no question" the winning party is its opponent given the eight-figure damages award.
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August 07, 2024
CoComelon Attys Score Over $6.6M In Fees, Costs For IP Win
A California federal judge on Tuesday awarded the company behind the popular children's YouTube channel CoComelon more than $6.6 million in fees and costs after its copyright trial win against a Chinese rival, given its "nearly perfect success at trial" and the defendant's "unreasonable arguments throughout the case."
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August 07, 2024
GrubHub Must Face Restaurants' TM Infringement Suit
Grubhub Inc. must face a proposed class action brought against it in Illinois federal court for allegedly using restaurants' trademarks without permission and listing them on its food delivery app without their consent, even though most of the lead plaintiffs have not registered the marks at issue.
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August 06, 2024
AstraZeneca Can't Duck $107.5M Patent Loss To Pfizer Unit
An Illinois federal judge on Tuesday refused to upend a jury's determination that AstraZeneca owes $107.5 million in royalty damages for infringing Pfizer-brand cancer treatment patents, rejecting AstraZeneca's arguments that the patents are unenforceable and the asserted claims are invalid.
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August 06, 2024
Japanese Restaurant In Aspen Sued For TM Infringement
A Florida restaurateur's intellectual property company has filed a trademark infringement lawsuit in Colorado federal court against a Japanese restaurant and its interim manager in Aspen, claiming they continued without permission to use the name and logo the IP company created.
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August 06, 2024
Fed. Circ. Told Edwards Filed Safe Harbor Suit With Bad Intent
The Federal Circuit rightfully held Meril Life Sciences was protected by a patent safe harbor when bringing its preapproval transcatheter heart valve system to an industry conference and that Edwards Lifesciences' attempts to prove otherwise are just delay tactics, Meril told the full court.
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August 06, 2024
Fed. Circ. Pours Out Trademark Board's 'Cognac' Ruling
A cognac distilling industry trade group persuaded the Federal Circuit on Tuesday to scrap an administrative board holding that let a small record label register a trademark using the word "cognac," setting new law on how to determine the fame of "certification marks."
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August 06, 2024
Try Samsung's Petition Again, USPTO's Vidal Tells PTAB
The head of the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office decided to give Samsung another shot at killing off infringement claims that a patent licensing outfit is trying to assert over the Galaxy Watch In Texas federal court.
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August 06, 2024
Louis Vuitton Slams 'Prolific' TM Infringement At Conn. Market
French luxury brand Louis Vuitton Malletier SAS is seeking statutory damages of up to $2 million per counterfeited mark from the operator of a Connecticut flea market where fake goods were repeatedly sold despite a June 2018 agreement to cease such activity, according to a federal lawsuit.
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August 06, 2024
Tech Giants' Fight To Ax Fintiv Rule Returns To Fed. Circ.
Apple and three other major technology companies have again asked the Federal Circuit to abolish a rule allowing the Patent Trial and Appeal Board to refuse to review patents based on related litigation in court, saying it is unlawful because it was implemented without formal rulemaking.
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August 06, 2024
Military Part Supplier Says Competitors Stole Equipment, Info
A machining manufacturer that supplies parts for military aircraft said in a complaint filed in Michigan federal court on Monday that some of its former workers used their access to steal confidential information and equipment to start competing businesses.
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August 06, 2024
Music Licensor Settles Disco Song Row With Detroit Eatery
Music licensor Broadcast Music Inc. and two other major recording companies have settled a copyright infringement lawsuit against a Detroit restaurant, resolving claims of unauthorized performances of three popular disco songs.
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August 06, 2024
Harvard Says Samsung Chips Infringe Chemical Patents
Harvard University's president and fellows sued Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd. and multiple affiliated entities in the Eastern District of Texas, claiming that the production process for some of its microprocessors and memory chips infringe two patents on chemical layering assigned to the school.
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August 06, 2024
Subway, Chick-Fil-A Ink Deals In Mystery Shopper IP Suit
Subway and Chick-Fil-A Inc. have entered agreements with Fall Line Patents LLC to resolve the patent company's claims that they infringed its data management patent with their respective mobile apps, according to a pair of joint filings with the Eastern District of Texas.
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August 06, 2024
Penn Says BioNTech Owes Royalties For COVID-19 Vax
BioNTech was hit with a breach of contract suit Monday in Pennsylvania federal court by the University of Pennsylvania over alleged unpaid royalties on global net sales of its blockbuster COVID-19 vaccine Comirnaty, which was developed using the school's crucial messenger RNA patents and has made more than $75 billion.
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August 06, 2024
Jones Day Slams Ex-Client's Bid To Exit $2M Fee Fight
Jones Day wants to prevent former client Soverain Software LLC from exiting a decade-long spat over $2 million in unpaid legal fees, telling an Illinois state court that Soverain's bid to bring the litigation to a close "is a house of cards that collapses with the slightest breeze."
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August 06, 2024
Fed. Circ. Knocks Out Scottish Search Co.'s Patent Case
A Scottish tech company failed to breathe new life into patents that cover supposed advances in reverse image searching on the internet when the Federal Circuit on Tuesday ended its suit against a different, more successful rival.
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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.
Expert Analysis
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The Pros And Cons Of NIST's Proposed March-In Framework
Recent comments for and against the National Institute of Standards and Technology’s proposed guidance on march-in rights — which permit the government to seize federally funded patents — highlight how the framework may promote competition, but could also pose a risk to contractors and universities, say Nick Lee and Paul Ragusa at Baker Botts.
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Why Fed. Circ. Should Resolve District Split On Patent Statute
A split exists among district courts in their analysis of when marking cannot be done on a patented article due to its character, and the Federal Circuit should consider clarifying the analysis of Section 287(a), a consequential statute with important implications for patent damages, say Nicholas Nowak and Jamie Dohopolski at Sterne Kessler.
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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.