Try our Advanced Search for more refined results
Intellectual Property
-
July 16, 2024
UPC Knocks Out Amgen's Cholesterol Drug Patent
The Unified Patent Court on Tuesday ruled that Amgen's patent covering the cholesterol drug Repatha isn't valid in the European Union, less than a year after justices on the U.S. Supreme Court made a somewhat similar call on U.S. patents covering the same drug.
-
July 16, 2024
Fed. Circ. OKs Judge Connolly's Fine Against IP Biz Owner
A precedential ruling from the Federal Circuit on Tuesday found that Delaware's top judge has the right to fine a Texas paralegal who is the sole owner of patent litigation outfit Backertop Licensing LLC $200 a day for refusing to show up in court as part of the judge's investigation into whether Backertop and others hid their connection to big-name intellectual property consulting firm IP Edge.
-
July 16, 2024
Skechers Targets LL Bean's Slip-On Shoes In IP Suit
Privately held Maine retailer and lifestyle brand L.L. Bean Inc. is facing a lawsuit that accuses it of selling slip-on shoes that infringe heel design patents owned by footwear multinational Skechers USA Inc.
-
July 16, 2024
Tesla Says Chinese Co. Sells 'Dangerous' Charging Adapter
Tesla said on Monday that a Chinese company sells a "dangerous" charging adapter that lets owners of non-Tesla electric vehicles charge at its network, saying in a suit filed in California federal court that the device could injure consumers and damage the power infrastructure.
-
July 16, 2024
USPTO Provides Guidance On AI And Patent Eligibility
The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office on Tuesday unveiled guidance for when inventions involving artificial intelligence are eligible for patents, saying the guidelines are aimed at "providing further clarity and consistency" on the issue.
-
July 16, 2024
Fed. Circ. Rejects APA Challenge To PTAB Panel Makeups
The Federal Circuit on Tuesday affirmed the Patent Trial and Appeal Board's invalidation of Arbor Global Strategies' processor module patent claims, shooting down the company's position that the board violated the Administrative Procedure Act when making its decision.
-
July 16, 2024
SiriusXM Must Face Suit Over $150M In Unpaid Royalties In NY
A Virginia federal judge has agreed to let Sirius XM move nonprofit royalty collector SoundExchange's suit to New York federal court, but refused to let it entirely escape claims that it owes more than $150 million in unpaid royalties.
-
July 16, 2024
Columbia U. Aims To Keep $600M Patent Win Over Norton
Columbia University has urged the Federal Circuit to preserve its $600 million willful patent infringement judgment against NortonLifeLock Inc., telling the court that Norton's "kitchen-sink" appeal "raises a slew of issues, hoping something will stick" and challenging Quinn Emanuel's appeal of a civil contempt ruling as "baseless and, ultimately, academic."
-
July 16, 2024
Cold Brew Co. Inks Deal To End IP Suit Against Mug Maker
A Colorado federal judge has signed off on a cold brew equipment maker and insulated mug company's request to dismiss a trademark infringement suit after the companies agreed to end the fight and pay for their own costs.
-
July 16, 2024
Judge Spikes Fee Bid Pending Edible Arrangements Appeal
A Georgia federal judge is denying for now 1-800-Flowers.com's push to recover up to $4.3 million in attorney fees, as its rival Edible Arrangements LLC appeals a ruling that ended its trademark infringement suit against the company.
-
July 16, 2024
The 2024 Diversity Snapshot: What You Need To Know
Law firms' ongoing initiatives to address diversity challenges have driven another year of progress, with the representation of minority attorneys continuing to improve across the board, albeit at a slower pace than in previous years. Here's our data dive into minority representation at law firms in 2023.
-
July 16, 2024
Rising Star: Morrison Foerster's Allyson Bennett
Allyson Bennett of Morrison Foerster LLP has been on the front lines of legal efforts to expand fair use laws in cases involving large tech companies, including shielding Instagram from copyright lawsuits and defending OpenAI, earning her a spot among the intellectual property practitioners under age 40 honored by Law360 as Rising Stars.
-
July 16, 2024
These Firms Have The Most Diverse Equity Partnerships
Law360’s law firm survey shows that firms' efforts to diversify their equity partner ranks are lagging. But some have embraced a broader talent pool at the equity partner level. Here are the ones that stood out.
-
July 16, 2024
Tesla Loses Bid To Sue Over 5G License Rate In UK
A London court ruled Monday that Tesla can't sue InterDigital for a worldwide license covering 5G technology, throwing a wrench in the automaker's plans to launch 5G-equipped vehicles in the U.K.
-
July 15, 2024
Acuitas Seeks Credit For IP Tied To COVID Vax
Acuitas Therapeutics wants to set the record straight about its involvement in a handful of patents that Alnylam Pharmaceuticals asserts were swiped to create the COVID-19 vaccine developed by Pfizer, BioNTech and Acuitas, saying in a lawsuit in Delaware federal court Monday that Acuitas scientists should be listed as co-inventors.
-
July 15, 2024
EDTX Judge OKs $445M Chip Verdict Against Micron
U.S. District Judge Rodney Gilstrap has said there is no reason for the Texas court to wait for the Patent Trial and Appeal Board to rule on the validity of a patent tied to part of a $445 million jury verdict against Micron Technology that came down in May.
-
July 15, 2024
9th Circ. Says Filmmaker's Son Took Too Long To Probe Fraud
The Ninth Circuit has affirmed a lower court order confirming an $8.7 million arbitral award in a long-running family dispute over a prominent Mexican film producer's film collection, saying the producer's son waited years too long to probe whether his siblings fraudulently tainted the award.
-
July 15, 2024
Google Wants Antitrust Suit Over AI Features Tossed
Google has urged a D.C. federal court to toss a suit from newspaper owners accusing the tech giant of violating antitrust law through its roll-out of generative artificial intelligence features, among other practices, saying the news outlets haven't alleged the existence of an online news market.
-
July 15, 2024
Netgear Defends RICO, Antitrust Case Against Huawei
Router maker Netgear is coming out in defense of its suit accusing the Chinese government-affiliated Huawei of racketeering and antitrust violations, saying that the tech company has attacked its claims by "overstating the pleading requirements and ignoring the law."
-
July 15, 2024
GM Eyes Deal In Design Patent Fight At PTAB
LKQ Corp. and General Motors Co. are looking to come to a deal to settle a legal dispute over GM's design patent covering fenders at the Patent Trial and Appeal Board.
-
July 15, 2024
9th Circ. Centers On Atty's Duties In Winery TM Feud
Ninth Circuit judges appeared skeptical Monday that a Houston lawyer could represent a prominent Napa Valley vintner while also claiming partial ownership rights to the name of its popular cabernet sauvignon, with one judge saying that conflict of interest rules for attorneys operating in California are "very strict."
-
July 15, 2024
PTAB Will Review Money Clip IP Tied To Looming Import Ban
The Patent Trial and Appeal Board has agreed to review if a Ridge Wallet LLC money clip patent should be invalidated, giving hope to a challenger facing an import ban for infringement of the same patent.
-
July 15, 2024
Record Labels Sue Verizon Over Internet Users' File Sharing
A group of the biggest music labels in the world is suing Verizon for allegedly profiting from what they call "pervasive" and "staggering" copyright infringement of the labels' music, saying in a complaint that the internet service provider "deliberately turned a blind eye" to music pirating on its network.
-
July 15, 2024
Fed. Circ. Upholds Some HVAC Patent Claims In Google Fight
The Federal Circuit has affirmed a Patent Trial and Appeal Board decision that handed a partial win to EcoFactor Inc. in a patent challenge brought by Google LLC.
-
July 15, 2024
Nike Suit Seeks More Than $60M From Counterfeit 'Empire'
Nike filed a federal lawsuit on Monday for more than $60 million against a popular Los Angeles company producing pricey customized sneakers that the sportswear giant claims unlawfully uses Nike's designs and intellectual property, saying the company and its founder are even offering "Nike Counterfeiting 101" classes.
Expert Analysis
-
This Earth Day, Consider How Your Firm Can Go Greener
As Earth Day approaches, law firms and attorneys should consider adopting more sustainable practices to reduce their carbon footprint — from minimizing single-use plastics to purchasing carbon offsets for air travel — which ultimately can also reduce costs for clients, say M’Lynn Phillips and Lisa Walters at IMS Legal Strategies.
-
Circumstantial Evidence Requires A Pointillist Approach
Because complex cases with sophisticated defendants are unlikely to reveal much, if any, direct evidence, attorneys must aggregate many pieces of circumstantial evidence into a cohesive narrative — much like the painting technique of pointillism, says Reuben Guttman at Guttman Buschner.
-
How China's IP Proposal Could Affect US Brands' TM Strategy
Proposed amendments to China's Trademark Law aimed at improving the application and enforcement processes could make some common U.S. brand protection strategies moot, and may require brand owners to more carefully explain marks' use or nonuse, say attorneys at Neal Gerber.
-
Exploring Patent Trends In Aerospace Electrification
As blue-chip companies lead the charge to power large-scale commercial airplanes with electricity, and startups advance the trend on a regional scale, patent applications directed at improving energy storage and electric motor efficiency are on the rise, say attorneys at Finnegan.
-
3 Tech Sourcing Best Practices That Are Relevant For AI
It might be tempting to think that sourcing artificial intelligence tools requires a completely new set of skills, but the best practices that lead to a good deal are much the same as traditional technology procurement, says Mia Rendar at Pillsbury.
-
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.
-
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.
-
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.
-
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.
-
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.
-
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.
-
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.
-
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.
-
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.
-
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.