Intellectual Property

  • September 12, 2024

    Lego Dodges German Rival's Block Design Challenges

    Lego has convinced European Union officials that two registered designs for its building blocks are valid, rebuffing challenges from a German toymaker claiming that the shapes should be nixed for lacking individual character.

  • September 12, 2024

    Ballard Spahr IP Pro Jumps To Taylor English In Atlanta

    Taylor English Duma LLP has expanded its Atlanta office with a patent procurement expert from Ballard Spahr LLP following the departures of nearly 20 lawyers who left the former in recent months for three other firms. 

  • September 12, 2024

    Stites & Harbison Eyes Conn. Office With Patent Team Pickup

    Stites & Harbison PLLC is stretching beyond its established offices in the South and Midwest with a planned Connecticut location, thanks to the pickup of three patent attorneys and three patent agents formerly with Cantor Colburn LLP.

  • September 12, 2024

    LG, Vodafone Join Sisvel's 'Internet Of Things' Patent Pool

    Telecommunication giants LG Electronics, Vodafone and KT Corp. of Korea have joined Sisvel's patent pool for cellular "Internet of Things" technology.

  • September 12, 2024

    Air Con Biz Frozen Out Of Bid To Revive Refrigerant Patent

    A Japanese air conditioning company cannot keep its patent over a refrigerant chemical because its distinguishing compounds would be an obvious addition to earlier iterations, an appeals panel has ruled.

  • September 12, 2024

    Sanofi Sets €320M Licensing Deal With US, French Biotechs

    Pharmaceutical giant Sanofi SA said Thursday that it will pay up to €320 million ($353 million) to U.S. biotechnology group RadioMedix Inc. and French medicine developer Orano Med for an exclusive license for a radiation treatment for rare cancers.

  • September 11, 2024

    Litigation Spending To Rise As Cases Grow More Aggressive

    A substantial number of large companies are expecting to increase their litigation spending by double digits next year in the face of more complex and hard-fought cases — and they are more open to bringing in new legal talent to navigate the matters, according to a report released Thursday. 

  • September 11, 2024

    The Firms That Handle The Most Trade Secrets Work

    Gordon Rees remains the most active law firm representing plaintiffs in trade secrets disputes, according to a new report by Lex Machina analyzing a three-year period from 2021 to 2023, while Littler Mendelson continues to lead the pack on the defendants' side during that same timeframe.

  • September 11, 2024

    Dua Lipa Can't Slip Copyright Claim In 'Levitating' IP Suit

    Pop singer Dua Lipa wasn't able to persuade a California federal judge to toss a copyright infringement claim in a suit over her hit song "Levitating" by a producer who alleges some of his samples were used without permission, but did get an accounting claim thrown out.

  • September 11, 2024

    Fed. Circ. Lets Roku IP Dispute Move From Texas To Calif.

    The Federal Circuit on Wednesday declined to reverse a Texas district court's transfer of a suit accusing Roku of infringing patents on automatic content recognition technology for commercial advertising, holding the Texas court wasn't wrong to find California had a stronger local interest in the dispute.

  • September 11, 2024

    AGIS Accuses General Dynamics Stole Comms System Tech

    AGIS Inc. hit General Dynamics Corporation with a patent infringement suit in Texas federal court on Tuesday, accusing the global defense company of ripping off technology for a handheld communications device utilized by first responders.

  • September 11, 2024

    Reality Star Says Cosmetic Co. Can't 'Give Them Lala'

    Lala Kent, one of the stars of Bravo's "Vanderpump Rules," has hit a cosmetic company with a suit alleging it violated her intellectual property rights by selling an unauthorized lip product under her "Give Them Lala" brand.

  • September 11, 2024

    Kirkland Can't Shake Former Associate's Bias Suit

    A California federal judge has mostly rejected efforts by Kirkland & Ellis to pare down the discrimination suit of a former intellectual property associate, while also backing a prior order that prevented the firm from subpoenaing her former BigLaw employers for confidential personnel information.

  • September 11, 2024

    Full Fed. Circ. Snubs Google's Fight Over ITC's Powers

    The full Federal Circuit has shot down Google LLC's bid for review of a ruling that it infringed Sonos audio patents in light of a U.S. Supreme Court case that abolished deference to government agencies.

  • September 11, 2024

    Phelps Dunbar Recruits 6 Litigators In Raleigh

    Phelps Dunbar LLP has hired six lawyers in Raleigh to serve the business and litigation needs of companies in North and South Carolina, adding strength in health care, construction, employment and intellectual property.

  • September 11, 2024

    EasyGroup Loses TMs After Suing For Infringement

    A London judge rejected a claim on Wednesday by easyGroup that EasyFundraising Ltd. was infringing its trademarks, as it concluded that the low-cost giant's brands covered different services.

  • September 11, 2024

    Trademarks Surge As UKIPO Transforms Digital Platform

    The U.K. Intellectual Property Office said Wednesday it has shown "continued high performance" amid accelerating demand over the past year as its digital transformation marches on.

  • September 11, 2024

    Lenovo Pushes For Its Own SEP Ban In Global Ericsson Fight

    Lawyers for Lenovo urged a London appeals court on Wednesday to prevent Ericsson from infringing one of its wireless patents while their dispute rumbles on, as the electronics giants wage a global battle over a cross-licensing deal for intellectual property deemed essential to 5G technology.

  • September 11, 2024

    IP Boutique Hires Murgitroyd Pro For Life Sciences Team

    Haseltine Lake Kempner LLP has hired a new partner from rival Murgitroyd & Co. for its chemistry and life sciences team as the firm looks to expand its patent capabilities in the northern English city of Leeds.

  • September 11, 2024

    Agricultural Co. Can't Nix Rival's IP Rights Over Mandarins

    A European Union court said Wednesday that a French company can keep its plant breeding rights over Nadorcott mandarins, chucking its rival's claim that the variety is not novel.

  • September 11, 2024

    Sandoz Can't Patent Generic Hypertension Drug

    Pharmaceuticals maker Sandoz has lost a patent for the formulation of a generic drug used to treat high blood pressure in the lungs, as a European appellate panel ruled that the ingredient that makes it more stable was obvious.

  • September 10, 2024

    Verizon, Ericsson Slam 'Outlandish' $847M Patent Verdict

    Verizon and Ericsson have urged a Texas federal judge to erase an $847 million jury verdict in General Access Solutions' wireless network patent suit, arguing that the court hobbled their defense by improperly excluding evidence and allowing General Access to rely on misleading and sometimes false testimony.

  • September 10, 2024

    Distillery Tries To Lasso Booze Trademark, Suit Says

    Dynasty Spirits told a Colorado federal court Monday that Lasso Whiskey is infringing on its Lasso Motel trademark.

  • September 10, 2024

    British Artists Call For IP Overhaul Amid AI Concerns

    More than 4,000 arts professionals have signed a joint letter urging the government to ensure that artists have control over whether copyrighted works are used for training artificial intelligence, highlighting the "significant challenges" faced by creatives in Britain.

  • September 10, 2024

    Ugg Maker Ends IP Boot Suit Against Costco

    Deckers Outdoor Corp. has dropped its suit in California federal court accusing Costco Wholesale Corp. of infringing a design patent and trade dress for Ugg "Classic Ultra Mini" boots with the retailer's Kirkland-branded footwear.

Expert Analysis

  • Proposed NIL Deal Leaves NCAA Antitrust Liability Door Open

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    The proposed House v. NCAA settlement filed in California federal court creates the possibility of significant direct payments to student-athletes for the first time, but the resulting framework is unlikely to withstand future antitrust scrutiny because it still represents an agreement among competitors to limit labor cost, says Yaman Desai at Lynn Pinker.

  • Opinion

    Expert Witness Standards Must Consider Peer Review Crisis

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    For nearly two decades, the so-called replication crisis has upended how the scientific community views the reliability of peer-reviewed studies, and it’s time for courts to reevaluate whether peer review is a trustworthy proxy for expert witness reliability, say Jeffrey Gross and Robert LaCroix at Reid Collins.

  • USPTO Must Anticipate 'Black-Box Problem' For AI Inventions

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    The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office's recent guidance allows patents for inventions created with artificial intelligence, but inventors need to address the so-called black-box problem to ensure others can recreate the invention, thus meeting the enablement requirement, say Mark Basanta and Georg Reitboeck at Haug Partners.

  • Irish Businesses Should Act Now To Prepare For EU AI Act

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    Artificial intelligence is increasingly transforming the Irish job market, and proactive engagement with the forthcoming European Union AI Act, a significant shift in the regulatory landscape for Irish businesses, will be essential for Irish businesses to responsibly harness AI’s advantages and to maintain legal compliance, say lawyers at Pinsent Masons.

  • How To Grow Marketing, Biz Dev Teams In A Tight Market

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    Faced with fierce competition and rising operating costs, firms are feeling the pressure to build a well-oiled marketing and business development team that supports strategic priorities, but they’ll need to be flexible and creative given a tight talent market, says Ben Curle at Ambition.

  • Considerations For Federal Right Of Publicity As AI Advances

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    Amid rapid advances in generative artificial intelligence technology, Congress should consider how a federal right of publicity would interact with the existing patchwork of state name, image and likeness laws, as well as other issues like scope, harm recognized and available relief, says Ross Bagley at Pryor Cashman.

  • What Patent Litigators Should Know About CHIPS Act Grants

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    With the U.S. Department of Commerce now actively awarding grants under the CHIPS and Science Act, recipients should ensure they understand the implications of promises to construct new semiconductor manufacturing facilities, especially in jurisdictions with active patent litigation dockets, say Gabriel Culver and Peter Hillegas at Norton Rose.

  • Patent Lessons From 5 Federal Circuit Reversals In June

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    A look at June cases where the Federal Circuit reversed or vacated decisions by the Patent Trial and Appeal Board or a federal district court highlights a potential path for branded drugmakers to sue generic-drug makers for off-label uses, potential downsides of violating a pretrial order offering testimony, and more, say Denise De Mory and Li Guo at Bunsow De Mory.

  • Series

    Rock Climbing Makes Me A Better Lawyer

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    Rock climbing requires problem-solving, focus, risk management and resilience, skills that are also invaluable assets in my role as a finance lawyer, says Mei Zhang at Haynes and Boone.

  • Think Like A Lawyer: Dance The Legal Standard Two-Step

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    From rookie brief writers to Chief Justice John Roberts, lawyers should master the legal standard two-step — framing the governing standard at the outset, and clarifying why they meet that standard — which has benefits for both the drafter and reader, says Luke Andrews at Poole Huffman.

  • Alice Step 2 Trends Show Courts' Extrinsic Evidence Reliance

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    A look at recent trends in how district courts are applying Step 2 of the Alice framework shows that courts have increasingly relied on extrinsic evidence to help determine whether a claimed invention is "well-understood, routine, and conventional," says Jonathan Tuminaro at Sterne Kessler.

  • Recent Settlement Shows 'China Initiative' Has Life After Death

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    Though the U.S. Department of Justice shuttered its controversial China Initiative two years ago, its recent False Claims Act settlement with the Cleveland Clinic Foundation demonstrates that prosecutors are more than willing to civilly pursue research institutions whose employees were previously targeted, say attorneys at Benesch.

  • How Orange Book Antitrust Scrutiny Is Intensifying

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    Pharmaceutical patent holders should be reviewing Orange Book listing practices, as the Federal Trade Commission takes a more aggressive antitrust approach with actions such as the Teva listing probe, and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration calls attention to potentially improper listings, say attorneys at McDermott.

  • Trending At The PTAB: 1 Year Of Denials Of Institution

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    An analysis of Patent Trial and Appeal Board denials of institutions between May 2023 and May of this year highlights the board’s common reasons for denial, which can provide insight to both petitioners and patent owners in future proceedings, say Kevin Rodkey and Victor Palace at Finnegan.

  • Questions Linger About DTSA's Scope After Motorola Ruling

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    The Seventh Circuit’s recent ruling in Motorola v. Hytera, which held that the Defend Trade Secrets Act applies extraterritorially, does not address whether an act that furthers misappropriation must be committed by the defendant in order to satisfy the law's extraterritoriality requirement, say Ilissa Samplin and Grace Hart at Gibson Dunn.

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