Trader Joe's Ruling Highlights Trademark Infringement Trends

The Ninth Circuit's recent decision in Trader Joe's Co. v. Trader Joe's United explores the legal boundaries between a union's right to advocate for workers and the protection of a brand's intellectual property, and illustrates a growing trend of courts disfavoring early dismissal of trademark infringement claims in the context of expressive speech, say attorneys at Mitchell Silberberg.

SDNY OpenAI Order Clarifies Preservation Standards For AI

The Southern District of New York’s recent order in the OpenAI copyright infringement litigation, denying discovery of The New York Times' artificial intelligence technology use, clarifies that traditional preservation benchmarks apply to AI content, relieving organizations from using a “keep everything” approach, says Philip Favro at Favro Law.

Addressing Legal Risks Of AI In The Homebuilding Industry

Artificial intelligence is transforming the homebuilding industry, but the legal challenges posed by its adoption spread across many areas, including contractual liability and intellectual property issues, so builders should adopt strategies to mitigate the risks and position themselves for success, says Philip Stein at Bilzin Sumberg.

Trends In Post-Grant Practice Since USPTO Denial Guidance

Six months after the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office updated its guidance on discretionary denial of inter partes review and post-grant review, noteworthy trends in denial statistics have emerged, warranting a reassessment of strategies for parallel proceedings, says Andrew Ramos at Bayes.

USPTO Under Squires: A Look At The First Month

New U.S. Patent and Trademark Office Director John Squires' opening acts — substantive and symbolic — signal a posture that is more welcoming to technological improvements and focused on rebalancing the office's gatekeeping role, say attorneys at Seyfarth.

3rd Circ. Ruling Forces A Shift In Employer CFAA Probes

The Third Circuit's recent ruling in NRA Group v. Durenleau, finding that "unauthorized access" requires bypassing technical barriers rather than simply violating company policies, is forcing employers to recalibrate insider misconduct investigations and turn to contractual, trade secret and state-level claims, say attorneys at Sidley.

Hermes Bags Antitrust Win That Clarifies Luxury Tying Claims

A California federal court recently found that absent actual harm to competition in the market for ancillary products, Hermes may make access to the Birkin bag contingent on other purchases, establishing that selective sales tactics and scarcity do not automatically violate U.S. antitrust law, say attorneys at Holland & Knight.

Opinion

High Court, Not A Single Justice, Should Decide On Recusal

As public trust in the U.S. Supreme Court continues to decline, the court should adopt a collegial framework in which all justices decide questions of recusal together — a reform that respects both judicial independence and due process for litigants, say Michael Broyde at Emory University and Hayden Hall at the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the District of Delaware.

USPTO Panel's Reversal Signals A Shift On AI Patents

A recent patent ruling from a U.S. Patent and Trademark Office panel shows that artificial intelligence technologies remain patent-eligible when properly framed as technical solutions, and provides valuable drafting lessons for counsel, say attorneys at Butzel Long.

Series

Traveling Solo Makes Me A Better Lawyer

Traveling by myself has taught me to assess risk, understand tone and stay calm in high-pressure situations, which are not only useful life skills, but the foundation of how I support my clients, says Lacey Gutierrez at Group Five Legal.

Latest PTAB Moves Suggest A Subtle Recalibration

Recent decisions from the Patent Trial and Appeal Board, as U.S. Patent and Trademark Office Director John Squires transitions into his new role, offer new procedural and substantive tools for patent owners in procuring patent rights and enforcing them against would-be petitioners, say attorneys at Morgan Lewis.

Series

Law School's Missed Lessons: Client Service

Law school teaches you how to interpret the law, but it doesn't teach you some of the key ways to keeping clients satisfied, lessons that I've learned in the most unexpected of places: a book on how to be a butler, says Gregory Ramos at Armstrong Teasdale.

Enter The Wu-Tang Ruling That May Change Trade Secret Law

A New York federal court's recent holding that a Wu-Tang Clan album qualifies as a trade secret provides the first federal framework for analyzing trade secret claims involving assets valued primarily for exclusivity, potentially reshaping Defend Trade Secrets Act jurisprudence for the digital economy, says Jason Bradford at Jenner & Block.

Where 4th And 9th Circ. Diverge On Trade Secret Timing

Recent Fourth and Ninth Circuit decisions have revealed a deepening circuit split over when plaintiffs must specifically define their alleged trade secrets, turning the early stages of trade secret litigation into a key battleground and elevating the importance of forum selection, say attorneys at Skadden.

Series

Adapting To Private Practice: 3 Tips On Finding The Right Job

After 23 years as a state and federal prosecutor, when I contemplated moving to a law firm, practicing solo or going in-house, I found there's a critical first step — deep self-reflection on what you truly want to do and where your strengths lie, says Rachael Jones at McKool Smith.