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Intellectual Property
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November 24, 2025
Ohio High School Board Opens Up NIL Deals For Athletes
The Ohio High School Athletic Association announced Monday that it will now allow student-athletes to earn money from contracts for their name, image and likeness, following an Ohio court's temporary pause on a bylaw that banned such deals.
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November 24, 2025
Justices Skip Appeal Challenging Denial Of Color TM
The U.S. Supreme Court on Monday declined an appeal from a medical supply company challenging a Federal Circuit ruling that rejected its bid to register a color trademark for dark green surgical gloves.
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November 21, 2025
UI Design Giant Figma Trained AI With User Data, Suit Says
User interface design software company Figma, which celebrated its stock market debut this year, on Friday was slapped with a proposed class action in California federal court, claiming the company steals customers' intellectual property to train its artificial intelligence tools.
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November 21, 2025
Tata Must Pay $168M For Trade Secrets Theft, 5th Circ. Says
A Fifth Circuit panel found Friday that Tata Consultancy Services Ltd. stole IT company Computer Sciences Corp.'s technology concerning source code and life insurance software documentation, keeping intact a $168 million verdict against Tata.
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November 21, 2025
Sysnet Ends Noncompete Suit Against Ex-Manager
Cybersecurity company Sysnet North America Inc. told a Georgia federal court it will dismiss a lawsuit alleging one of its former business relationship managers violated the restrictive covenants in his employment contract by taking a job with a direct competitor.
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November 21, 2025
Amazon Secures 1st Deal In Suit Targeting 'Refund Abuse'
Amazon will be off-limits for five years to an accused fraudster who allegedly took advantage of a "refund abuse" scam that manipulated the company's return process to allow him to receive refunds for products without actually returning the goods, according to a settlement agreement approved Friday by a Seattle federal judge.
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November 21, 2025
IP Notebook: Kahwa Mix-Up, WallStreetBets, Hotel California
This round of Law360's look at emerging copyright and trademark issues includes a Federal Circuit case over an obscure tea drink and a nod to the Eagles' "Hotel California" in a precedential decision that is a primer on having an actual intent to use a trademark.
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November 21, 2025
Cannabis Co. Drops Rival From Trade Secrets Suit
New Jersey cannabis products maker Kushi Labs LLC will continue its federal lawsuit against ex-employees it claims stole confidential trade secrets, but it has agreed to drop claims against the rival manufacturer for which the workers left Kushi.
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November 21, 2025
OpenAI Tells 9th Circ. TM Injunction Is 'Based On Guesses'
OpenAI Inc. urged the Ninth Circuit on Friday to scrap a preliminary injunction won by IYO Inc. which blocks OpenAI from using the trademark associated with acquired competitor IO Products Inc., arguing there is no evidence that IYO faces irreparable harm and the injunction is "based on guesses" about OpenAI's future products.
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November 21, 2025
Squires Issues 57 More PTAB Denials, Broken Out By Type
U.S. Patent and Trademark Office Director John Squires has rejected another 57 petitions challenging patents under the America Invents Act and for the first time differentiated between those denied for discretionary reasons and those denied on the merits.
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November 21, 2025
MGA Can Take IP Fight Over Dolls To 9th Circ. Before Retrial
A California federal judge on Thursday allowed toy giant MGA Entertainment Inc. to ask the Ninth Circuit if a judge or jury should consider whether hip hop moguls Clifford and Tameka Harris are entitled to punitive damages in long-running litigation over the alleged use of their intellectual property in an MGA line of dolls.
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November 21, 2025
Gogo Hit With $22.7M Verdict Over In-Flight Wi-Fi Patents
A Delaware federal jury on Friday found Gogo Business Aviation infringed four patents held by rival in-flight Wi-Fi company SmartSky Networks, awarding the latter about $22.7 million in damages.
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November 21, 2025
Electric Air Taxi Co. Joby Says Rival Stole Trade Secrets
Joby Aviation has accused rival electric air-taxi company Archer Aviation Inc. of recruiting one of Joby's senior executives who pilfered Joby's trade secrets, which Archer then used to gain leverage in negotiations with a development partner on a lucrative deal, according to a new California state court complaint.
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November 21, 2025
Writers Accuse Databricks Of Deposition Misconduct In AI Suit
Writers suing Databricks for allegedly using their copyrighted works for artificial intelligence training have urged a California federal judge to order defense attorneys to stop coaching witnesses during depositions, with defense counsel countering that the court should bar plaintiffs from asking "personally invasive and harassing" questions.
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November 21, 2025
NY Judge Says Patent Suit Against Google Should Be Tossed
A New York federal magistrate judge recommended Friday that a location-tracking patent infringement suit against Google be dismissed after the patent owner defied a court order to appear at a bench trial on affirmative defenses last month, saying his insistence he'd complied with all court orders was "bewildering, to say the least."
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November 21, 2025
MVP: McGuireWoods' Lucy Wheatley
McGuireWoods LLP partner Lucy Jewett Wheatley helped propel Pennsylvania State University to a victory in a closely watched trademark dispute involving the sale of unlicensed merchandise and obtained an injunction stopping the sale of "Wavy Baby" sneakers that imitated Vans' designs, earning her a spot as one of the 2025 Law360 Intellectual Property MVPs.
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November 21, 2025
BNY Mellon Cleared By Jury Of Unjust Enrichment Claim
A New York federal jury has cleared Bank of New York Mellon of allegations of unjust enrichment from a contractor who claimed his investment valuation model had been misappropriated.
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November 21, 2025
UK Litigation Roundup: Here's What You Missed In London
This past week in London has seen Clyde & Co. face a claim from Yorkshire firm GWB Harthills, a property developer previously investigated over suspected bribery and corruption sue the general counsel and solicitor to HM Revenue and Customs, and sportswear giant Gymshark bring an intellectual property claim against its co-founder's rival company, AYBL. Here, Law360 looks at these and other new claims in the U.K.
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November 20, 2025
Invisalign-Maker's Sweetened $32M Antitrust Payout OK'd
A California federal judge who previously rejected Invisalign-maker Align Technology's $27.5 million antitrust deal with SmileDirectClub buyers because it included a coupon program said Thursday he will approve a revised deal, which provides for an all-cash $31.75 million payout.
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November 20, 2025
New Trial Bid Denied After $57M Coal Emissions IP Verdict
A Delaware federal magistrate judge won't order a new trial after a jury found in 2024 that companies affiliated with CERT Operations owed Midwest Energy Emissions Corp. more than $57 million for infringing patents on technology for refining coal to reduce mercury in emissions from power plants.
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November 20, 2025
PTAB Upholds Corteva's Patent For Insect-Repellent Corn
The Patent Trial and Appeal Board has upheld the entirety of a Corteva Agriscience LLC unit's patent directed to an insect-repellent corn plant, following a challenge from Inari Agriculture Inc.
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November 20, 2025
USPTO Decries Instacart's 'Road Mapping' Claim At Fed. Circ.
The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office is urging the Federal Circuit to turn away Instacart's challenge to the agency's relatively new procedures for discretionarily denying Patent Trial and Appeal Board petitions, noting the court recently rejected three similar bids.
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November 20, 2025
Trump Admin Defends Ending Patent, Weather Unions' Rights
The Trump administration has implored a D.C. federal judge to reject an effort by unions representing workers at the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office and the National Weather Service to halt an executive order ending their collective bargaining rights, emphasizing the action is within the president's authority.
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November 20, 2025
Thomson Reuters Balks At AI Co.'s Fair Use Appeal
Thomson Reuters wants the Third Circuit to back a district court's decision that an artificial intelligence-powered legal search engine's use of Westlaw headnotes did not constitute fair use, saying the AI company "pilfered" copyrightable content to make a competing business.
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November 20, 2025
Where Apple And Masimo's Watch Patent Fight Stands Now
The high-octane fight between Apple and Masimo over smartwatch patents escalated again last week, when a California federal jury hit Apple with a $634 million infringement verdict and the U.S. International Trade Commission agreed to assess whether its redesigned products infringe Masimo's patents.
Expert Analysis
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A Word On Ensuring Precision In Patent Claim Construction
The Federal Circuit's recent decision in Express Mobile v. Meta Platforms, overruling the Patent Trial and Appeal Board's interpretation of the term "style," highlights the importance of articulating claim constructions that are as clear as possible, says Derrick Carman at Robins Kaplan.
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Series
Playing Mah-Jongg Makes Me A Better Mediator
Mah-jongg rewards patience, pattern recognition, adaptability and keen observation, all skills that are invaluable to my role as a mediator, and to all mediating parties, says Marina Corodemus.
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Does Research Tool Safe Harbor Cover AI Drug Development?
As artificial intelligence increasingly takes root in drug development, many questions may emerge regarding current gaps in courts' application of the research tool exception to the safe harbor defense against patent infringement, and whether that defense applies to AI-based tools, say attorneys at Arnold & Porter.
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Tips For Business Users After 2 Key AI Copyright Decisions
Because two recent artificial intelligence copyright decisions from the Northern District of California — Bartz v. Anthropic and Kadrey v. Meta — came out mostly in favor of the developers using the plaintiffs' works to train large language models, business users should proceed with care, says Chris Wlach at Acxiom.
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Series
Law School's Missed Lessons: Navigating Client Trauma
Law schools don't train students to handle repeated exposure to clients' traumatic experiences, but for litigators practicing in areas like civil rights and personal injury, success depends on the ability to view cases clinically and to recognize when you may need to seek help, says Katie Bennett at Robins Kaplan.
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Copyright Takeaways From 2 Calif. GenAI Rulings
Two California federal court decisions suggest that the fair use defense may protect generative artificial intelligence output, but given the ongoing war between copyright holders and AI platforms, developers should still consider taking steps to reduce legal risk, says Lincoln Essig at Knobbe Martens.
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Opinion
Juries Are Key In Protecting The Rule Of Law
Absent from the recent discourse about U.S. rule of law is the crucial role of impartial jurors in protecting the equitable administration of justice, and attorneys and judges should take affirmative steps to reverse the yearslong decline of jury trials at this critical moment, says consultant Clint Townson.
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Opinion
4 Former Justices Would Likely Frown On Litigation Funding
As courts increasingly confront cases involving hidden litigation finance contracts, the jurisprudence of four former U.S. Supreme Court justices establishes a constitutional framework that risks erosion by undisclosed financial interests, says Roland Eisenhuth at the American Property Casualty Insurance Association.
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Brand Protection Takeaways From OpenAI Trademark Case
The ongoing battle between IYO and OpenAI offers critical lessons on diligent trademark enforcement and proactive risk management for startups and established players alike navigating branding in the rapidly evolving artificial intelligence sector, say attorneys at Dykema.
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How Attys Can Use AI To Surface Narratives In E-Discovery
E-discovery has reached a turning point where document review is no longer just about procedural tasks like identifying relevance and redacting privilege — rather, generative artificial intelligence tools now allow attorneys to draw connections, extract meaning and tell a coherent story, says Rose Jones at Hilgers Graben.
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IP Due Diligence Tips For AI Assets In M&A Transactions
Artificial intelligence systems' integration into business operations creates new considerations for intellectual property due diligence in mergers and acquisitions and financing transactions, and implementing a practical approach to identifying AI assets can help avoid litigation and losses, say Armin Ghiam and Senna Hahn at Hunton.
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How To Strengthen A Case By Mastering Expert Witness Prep
A well-prepared expert witness can bolster a case's credibility with persuasive qualifications, compelling voir dire responses and concise testimony that can withstand cross-examination, says Allison Rocker at Baker McKenzie.
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A Look At Florida's New Protected Series LLC Legislation
A new law in Florida enhances the flexibility of using limited liability companies as the entities of choice for most privately held businesses, moving Florida into a small group of states with reliable uniform protected series legislation for series LLCs, says Louis Conti at Holland & Knight.
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Opinion
New USPTO Leadership Must Address Low-Quality Patents
With John Squires in line to become the new director of the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, the agency has an opportunity to refocus its mission on prioritizing quality in patent examination and taking a harsher stance against low-quality patents and patent trolls, says Jill Crosby at Engine Advocacy & Foundation.
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Opinion
High Court Must Overrule Outdated Patent Eligibility Doctrine
A certiorari petition should directly ask the U.S. Supreme Court to correct its 1972 patent decision in Gottschalk v. Benson, the critical point where patent eligibility law veered from the statutory text toward judicial policymaking, says Robert Greenspoon at Dunlap Bennett.