Expert Analysis

• On The Edge: Lessons In Patent Litigation Financing

  

  A federal judge's recent request that the U.S. Department of Justice look into IP Edge patent litigation, and that counsel be disciplined, serves as a reminder for parties asserting intellectual property rights — and their attorneys — to exercise caution when structuring a litigation financing agreement, say Samuel Habein and James De Vellis at Foley & Lardner.

• Trends That Tech Lawyers Should Keep An Eye On In 2024

  

  Worldwide technology spending is projected to strengthen in 2024, spurred by artificial intelligence-driven solutions, and five areas of growth may affect lawyers' practice in this sector, says Sonia Baldia at Kilpatrick.

• Copyright And Generative AI Developments To Watch In 2024

  

  This year could bring clarity to critical copyright issues raised by the recent surge of development in generative AI platforms, as Congress continues its legislative focus in this area and litigation tests theories of liability, say Joshua Weigensberg and Felicity Kohn at Pryor Cashman.

• Emerging Risks Affecting The Tech Legal Landscape

  

  The tech industry has become a battleground for various legal challenges shaped by geopolitical events, partisan politics, regulatory initiatives, patent disputes and class action trends, but companies can adopt several proactive legal strategies to safeguard their interests, say Natasha Allen and Louis Lehot at Foley & Lardner.

• 5 Litigation Funding Trends To Note In 2024

  

  Over the next year and beyond, litigation funding will continue to evolve in ways that affect attorneys and the larger litigation landscape, from the growth of a secondary market for funded claims, to rising interest rates restricting the availability of capital, says Jeffery Lula at GLS Capital.

• Expect National Security Scrutiny Of Higher Ed To Continue

  

  In 2023, the federal government significantly elevated the national security responsibilities of academic communities, so universities and research laboratories should take a more rigorous approach to research partnerships, say attorneys at Crowell & Moring.

• Medtronic's Cautionary Tale Of Fed. Circ. Word Limits

  

  The Federal Circuit's ruling in Medtronic v. Teleflex that Medtronic waived an argument that it had sought to incorporate by reference illustrates the pitfalls facing parties in complex patent cases involving numerous issues that cannot all be addressed within the strict word limits for appellate briefs, say Sean Murray and Jeremiah Helm at Knobbe Martens.

• What One Litigator Learned Serving On A Jury

  

  Kilpatrick attorney April Isaacson shares insights for trial lawyers from her recent experience serving on a jury for the first time, including lessons about the impact of frequent sidebars, considerations for using demonstratives, the importance of clear jury instructions, and the unconscious habits that can drive jurors mad.

• Lessons In Navigating Collateral Estoppel Of Similar Patents

  

  The Patent Trial and Appeal Board's recent holding in Google v. Parus that rehearing was appropriate under collateral estoppel illustrates best arguments in inter partes review for any issue that could arise in a later proceeding, including dependent claim limitations, say attorneys at Akin.

• Fed. Circ. Ruling Seemingly Offers PTAB Deadline Immunity

  

  The Federal Circuit's recent Purdue Pharma v. Collegium Pharmaceutical Inc. decision that the Patent Trial and Appeal Board had authority to issue a final written decision in a post grant review after the prescribed statutory deadline underscores how courts should consider the overall objective of the statutory scheme when balancing the classic conflict between bright-line rules and flexible standards, says Matthew Dowd at Dowd Sheffel.

• 4 Legal Ethics Considerations For The New Year

  

  As attorneys and clients reset for a new year, now is a good time to take a step back and review some core ethical issues that attorneys should keep front of mind in 2024, including approaching generative artificial intelligence with caution and care, and avoiding pitfalls in outside counsel guidelines, say attorneys at HWG.

• What Brands Need To Know About Consumer Reviews In 2024

  

  Testimonials, endorsements and consumer reviews have been on the Federal Trade Commission's radar for years — and since this evolving area will continue to be an enforcement priority in 2024, now is the time to ensure your house is in order, say attorneys at Crowell & Moring.

• Opinion

  Waiving COVID-19 IP Protections Would Harm US Industry

  

  President Joe Biden should turn down a World Trade Organization proposal to waive crucial intellectual property protections behind COVID-19 tests and diagnostics — protections that allow U.S. companies to sustain millions of jobs and develop life-saving treatments that benefit patients in every country, says former U.S. Circuit Judge Paul Michel, now at the Council for Innovation Promotion.

• Fed. Circ. Patent Decisions In 2023: An Empirical Review

  

  The Federal Circuit decided 306 patent cases last year, which is still well down from the pre-pandemic norm of around 440, and on the whole the court's decisions were markedly less patentee-friendly in 2023 than in 2022, says Dan Bagatell at Perkins Coie.

• What The Law Firm Of The Future Will Look Like

  

  As the legal landscape shifts, it’s become increasingly clear that the BigLaw business model must adapt in four key ways to remain viable, from fostering workplace flexibility to embracing technology, say Kevin Henderson and Eric Pacifici at SMB Law Group.