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Intellectual Property
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April 25, 2024
Ohio Deer Repellent Co. Hit With Trade Secrets Suit In NJ
A New Jersey deer repellent company claims that an Ohio company, which was formerly a licensee, is stealing trade secrets by continuing to use its proprietary techniques and procedures after the licensing agreement lapsed.
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April 25, 2024
Sheppard Mullin Hires Perkins Coie IP Partner In DC
Sheppard Mullin Richter & Hampton LLP has hired an intellectual property attorney from Perkins Coie LLP, who is the third patent-focused litigator to leave that firm this week.
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April 24, 2024
Lyft Denied $1M Fees In Patent Suit Because Of Previous Deal
A California federal judge on Tuesday denied Lyft Inc.'s request for $1 million in attorney fees in its patent dispute against Quartz Auto Technologies LLC, saying the parties' agreement to dismiss certain claims clearly stated that each party would "bear its own costs and attorneys' fees."
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April 24, 2024
'Black-ish' Actress Beats Suit Alleging She Stole Spinoff Idea
A California appeals court permanently ended on Monday a suit alleging actress Tracee Ellis Ross and producers of "Mixed-ish" stole a writer's ideas for a sitcom based on a mixed-race character growing up in the suburbs, finding there are no substantial similarities between the two shows.
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April 24, 2024
NC Biz Court Trims School Food Servicer's Noncompete Suit
The North Carolina Business Court on Wednesday pared a cafeteria food provider's lawsuit alleging a former sales director absconded with confidential information to a rival business, reasoning the Tar Heel State's laws aren't applicable over alleged out-of-state conduct.
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April 24, 2024
Feds Want Disbarred Atty's FOIA Suit Over USPTO Docs Axed
The federal government urged a North Carolina federal court Wednesday to toss a disbarred attorney's sprawling Freedom of Information Act lawsuit over U.S. Patent and Trademark Office documents, arguing the case is one of a dozen duplicative, meritless suits the plaintiff has filed.
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April 24, 2024
3 Takeaways On How AI Is Forcing Publicity Rights To Evolve
As digital replicas of someone's voice, image or likeness become easier to create with the help of artificial intelligence, this new era of deepfakes is shining a spotlight on the nation's patchwork of right-of-publicity laws and raising questions over when Congress may act to pass a national framework.
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April 24, 2024
Map Co. Objects To Recommendation Of Tossing IP Case
A mapping company has taken issue with a recommendation by a federal magistrate judge in New York that its copyright infringement lawsuit against environmental risk assessment data company ERIS Information should be tossed.
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April 24, 2024
Judge Unconvinced That Barstool Sports Swiped Shop Photo
A new copyright lawsuit against Barstool Sports may not get off the ground after a New York federal judge questioned whether the image the photographer included in her complaint is the same one the company used on its website.
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April 24, 2024
Sanction Bank Workers Who Hid IP Grab, Branding Firm Says
An architectural and marketing firm has asked a Philadelphia federal judge for sanctions against two of its former employees who jumped ship for Republic Bank, saying that texts between the ex-employees show the "nadir of bad faith" about evidence destruction in their trade secrets misappropriation suit.
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April 24, 2024
Pegasystems Cuts $35M Deal To End Investor Suit
Pegasystems Inc. has agreed to pay $35 million to settle a shareholder suit in Massachusetts federal court alleging the software company failed to properly disclose a rival's trade secret litigation that led to a $2 billion verdict.
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April 24, 2024
Under Armour Must Show Shoe Sponsor Deals In Patent Row
Under Armour is being forced to turn over information relating to deals it has with athletes like basketball star Stephen Curry as part of a patent infringement lawsuit, but the Texas federal judge in the case limited how much the sportswear company has to provide.
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April 24, 2024
Reggie Bush Scores Heisman Back After Nearly 15 Years
Nearly 15 years after being stripped of his records and awards, former University of Southern California running back and football legend Reggie Bush is getting his 2005 Heisman Trophy back, with the Heisman Trophy Trust citing "enormous changes" in the college football environment.
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April 24, 2024
Ex-Yukos Oil Shareholders To Auction Russian Vodka Brands
The Benelux rights to trademarks for 18 Russian vodka brands, including Stolichnaya and Moskovskaya, will go to auction in June in the Netherlands, the former shareholders of Yukos Oil Co. said Wednesday as they sought to enforce arbitral awards now valued at $60 billion.
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April 24, 2024
Colo. Cooler-Maker Says License Didn't Undo Patent Rights
A Colorado company that makes soft-sided coolers has argued a 2023 licensing agreement didn't give away its exclusive rights to some patents as a Canadian rival has claimed, arguing the deal preserved its right to enforce the patents at issue.
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April 24, 2024
Toy Developer, Chinese Co. Settle Robot Source Code Suit
A Pittsburgh-based robot toy designer has settled and dismissed its dispute with a Chinese competitor over the alleged copying of the source code for a toy design acquired from a predecessor, according to federal court filings Tuesday.
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April 23, 2024
10th Circ. Orders Redo Of $96M Award After Top Court Ruling
The Tenth Circuit on Tuesday ordered an Oklahoma federal court to recalculate a $96 million trademark infringement award won by a radio control maker against its European former partners after the U.S. Supreme Court ruled last year that the Lanham Act applies only to domestic conduct in commerce.
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April 23, 2024
Sanctioned Patent Challenger Fights VLSI Bid To ID Members
Patent Quality Assurance LLC, which successfully challenged a VLSI chip patent but was sanctioned by the patent office, urged a Virginia federal judge Tuesday not to make it identify the people behind the company, saying VLSI wants their names to "seek retribution against them."
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April 23, 2024
Meta Secures Partial Trim Of Video Technology Patent Suit
A federal judge has narrowed a suit accusing Meta Platforms Inc. of infringing patents related to video technology, throwing out one of VideoLabs' patents but letting the patent owner keep moving forward with another.
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April 23, 2024
Forbes Wins Bid To Nix Order In Mexican Distributor Fight
A New York federal judge on Tuesday barred a Mexican distributor of Forbes magazine from trying to enforce an order from a court in Mexico City precluding the publication from terminating their deal while the companies gear up to arbitrate a renewal dispute.
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April 23, 2024
NY Judge Won't Allow Default Judgment On Tekashi 6ix9ine
A New York federal judge said a Miami rapper's motion for default judgment against Tekashi 6ix9ine, aka Daniel Hernandez, in a copyright infringement lawsuit should be denied, saying the rapper hadn't fully complied with the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act to show Hernandez isn't in the military.
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April 23, 2024
Jury Suggests $25M Damages For Co.'s Malicious IP Misuse
A Colorado federal jury has said a display technology company must pay $5.1 million for misusing a business partner's trade secrets during the development of a wireless headset, and recommended the company be punished with another $19.7 million in damages for its malicious conduct.
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April 23, 2024
Medtronic Patent Fight With Axonics Set For September Trial
A California federal judge has lifted a stay in Medtronic's patent infringement suit against Axonics over an electrical stimulation system, while also scheduling a trial for September.
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April 23, 2024
CoStar Rival Is Asking To Free Ride, 9th Circ. Told
CoStar urged the Ninth Circuit not to revive antitrust counterclaims from Commercial Real Estate Exchange Inc., despite backing from the Federal Trade Commission, arguing the rival is trying to use antitrust law to get free access to its platforms.
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April 23, 2024
AI Invention Guidance Adds New Patent Wrinkles, Attys Say
Recent guidance from the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office that inventions developed with assistance from artificial intelligence tools can be patented prompted a sigh of relief among many attorneys, but confronting the nuances will create challenges, experts said Tuesday.
Expert Analysis
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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.
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Opinion
Why USPTO Should Issue Inherency Guidance Memo
The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office should issue a new guidance memo in regard to the standard for inherency during the examination process, as the standard is frequently misapplied during prosecution, and consistency of the standard in the USPTO should match that in the federal courts, says Irving Feit at Lucas & Mercanti.
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Series
Serving As A Sheriff's Deputy Made Me A Better Lawyer
Skills developed during my work as a reserve deputy — where there was a need to always be prepared, decisive and articulate — transferred to my practice as an intellectual property litigator, and my experience taught me that clients often appreciate and relate to the desire to participate in extracurricular activities, says Michael Friedland at Friedland Cianfrani.
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Fears About The End Of Chevron Deference Are Overblown
While some are concerned about repercussions if the U.S. Supreme Court brings an end to Chevron deference in the Loper and Relentless cases this term, agencies and attorneys would survive just fine under the doctrines that have already begun to replace it, say Daniel Wolff and Henry Leung at Crowell & Moring.