Intellectual Property

  • September 17, 2025

    Don Jr.-Backed Patent Co. Hires Nokia Licensing Exec

    SIM IP, the newest venture by high-profile patent monetizer Erich Spangenberg, has brought on Nokia's chief licensing officer to serve as managing director.

  • September 17, 2025

    Morgan & Morgan Hauls Disney Into Court Over TM Concern

    Law firm Morgan & Morgan sued Disney on Wednesday, asking a Florida federal court to declare that an advertisement it plans to run featuring elements from the animated short film "Steamboat Willie" does not infringe on Disney's intellectual property because the work entered the public domain last year.

  • September 17, 2025

    Posting Standards Violates Copyright, ASTM Tells 3rd Circ.

    The American Society for Testing and Materials told a Third Circuit panel in Philadelphia on Wednesday that a Pennsylvania federal judge was wrong to find that another company's posting of its copyrighted technical standards online was a noninfringing fair use of the material.

  • September 17, 2025

    Magistrate Says Cloud IP Suit Dismissal Should Be Permanent

    A federal magistrate judge in Texas has recommended that the voluntary dismissal of a patent infringement suit between two cloud computing companies be made permanent after one side complained a doctored screenshot was used as evidence.

  • September 17, 2025

    Anthropic, Reddit Spar Over Keeping AI Case In Federal Court

    Artificial intelligence startup Anthropic has asked a California federal judge to keep Reddit's claims that user content is used to train large language models in federal court, saying that at least one of Reddit's claims are preempted by the Copyright Act and effectively arise from federal law.

  • September 17, 2025

    Del. Judge Boosts American Axle's $4M IP Win By $1.2M

    A Delaware federal judge ordered Neapco Holdings LLC to pay American Axle & Manufacturing Inc. nearly $1.2 million in prejudgment interest on top of a $4 million jury verdict handed down in January 2024 in a long-running patent fight, according to court papers filed Wednesday.

  • September 17, 2025

    Fed. Circ. Backs Rejection Of Sterling Silver Patent App

    The Federal Circuit on Wednesday upheld the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office's rejection of a bid for a patent on a silver alloy resistant to corrosion, backing the agency's finding that the application lacked enough written description.

  • September 17, 2025

    Nonprofit Loses TM Injunction Bid Against 'Making PA Better'

    A Pennsylvania federal judge has declined to bar the Pennsylvania Manufacturers' Association from using the phrase "Making PA Better" on its website in a trademark infringement case brought by a nonprofit, saying neither of the parties are engaged in commercial activity.

  • September 17, 2025

    Fed. Circ. Revives Hard Disk Patent Suit Against Seagate

    The Federal Circuit on Wednesday threw out a Pennsylvania federal jury's finding that computer hard drive manufacturer Seagate Technology did not infringe a patent on magnetic material used in computer hard disk drives, finding the lower court gave jurors an incorrect claim construction.

  • September 17, 2025

    Celeb Photo Agency Sues Over Decade-Old Farley Picture Use

    Hyperlocal news organization Block Club Chicago has been hit with copyright infringement claims by a celebrity photo agency alleging predecessor site DNAInfo Chicago used a photo of late actor Chris Farley without licensing it on an article published more than a decade ago.

  • September 17, 2025

    Sky-High AI Valuations Are Reshaping Dealmaking Playbook

    The latest financing for Anthropic underscores how difficult it has become to dismiss sky-high valuations backing AI as froth, and shows how such numbers could reshape acquisition and exit strategies while exposing investors to heightened legal and financial risks.

  • September 17, 2025

    Pinsent Masons-Led Rouse Acquires Rival European IP Firm

    London-based international intellectual property services company The Rouse Group has merged with rival European IP firm Arnold & Siedsma to increase coverage for its existing clients and expand its geographic footprint in a deal guided by Pinsent Masons LLP.

  • September 16, 2025

    IP Attorneys Aren't Playing Into Pokémon Patent Panic

    A patent granted to Nintendo and Pokémon earlier this month has video game players concerned that an entire genre of games could be undermined, yet patent attorneys say it's unlikely the companies would have any success if they chose to assert it.

  • September 16, 2025

    Patent Owner Wants Fed. Circ. Revival Of Salesforce Suit

    A consulting company is asking the Federal Circuit to undo a Nevada federal judge's dismissal of its suit accusing Salesforce of infringing patents for database software reprogramming, calling the decision "improper and unjustified."

  • September 16, 2025

    Fed. Circ. Won't Look At USAA's Nixed $223M Patent Verdicts

    The full Federal Circuit declined Tuesday to scrutinize panel decisions that wiped out a pair of patent infringement verdicts against PNC Bank that totaled nearly $223 million, rejecting United Services Automobile Association's arguments that the appeals court wrongly invalidated its mobile check deposit patents.

  • September 16, 2025

    4th Circ. Asked To Rehear 'Inspire' Dance Team Case

    A North Carolina charter school on Tuesday asked for the full Fourth Circuit to hear its claims that two former teachers should be barred from using the name "Inspire" for their dance company, arguing that declining to block the teachers is at odds with decades of circuit precedent.

  • September 16, 2025

    The Patent Workforce Is Attracting Fewer Attys, More Agents

    The pool of patent practitioners registered with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office has undergone a dramatic shift over the past few decades, with the number of attorneys taking the bar exam decreasing at the same time more patent agents are entering the field.

  • September 16, 2025

    Judge Orders Bench Trial On Key Issue In Sirius Patent Case

    A Delaware federal judge has ordered a bench trial on the issue of whether Sirius XM relied on a German research foundation's five-year delay in bringing patent claims related to satellite radio technology in making business decisions around that tech.

  • September 16, 2025

    Jazz Can't Escape Antitrust Claims Over Sleep Disorder IP

    A Delaware federal judge has refused to let Jazz Pharmaceuticals dodge antitrust claims that it wrongly listed a patent covering a way to distribute a narcolepsy drug in the U.S. Food and Drug Administration's Orange Book.

  • September 16, 2025

    Doximity Says AI Startup Using Lawsuits To Thwart Rivals

    Telehealth platform Doximity has asked a Massachusetts federal judge to toss a trade secrets lawsuit brought by medical artificial intelligence company OpenEvidence, saying the startup is trying to "use the courts to stifle fair competition."

  • September 16, 2025

    Disney, WB, Universal Sue Chinese AI Firm Alleging IP Theft

    Companies affiliated with Disney, Warner Bros. Discovery and Universal teamed up Tuesday to sue Chinese artificial company MiniMax, alleging the company steals their intellectual property to produce "an endless supply of infringing images and videos" featuring popular characters like Spider-Man, Darth Vader and Superman.

  • September 16, 2025

    Travelers Must Cover Scholastic's IP Suit Costs, Not Damages

    A Manhattan federal judge has ruled that a Travelers unit must cover Scholastic Inc. for costs incurred in its defense and settlement of a trademark and copyright infringement suit, but not pay consequential damages Scholastic had sought.

  • September 16, 2025

    Fed. Circ. Brushes Off Wig Grip Patent Case

    The Federal Circuit on Tuesday refused to revive a wig grip apparatus patent owner's suit accusing a California hair replacement service of infringement, agreeing with how the lower court interpreted a key patent phrase.

  • September 16, 2025

    Dickinson Wright Adds IP Ace In Austin From PayPal

    Dickinson Wright PLLC has strengthened its intellectual property team with an of counsel in Austin, Texas, who spent nearly a decade working in-house at PayPal.

  • September 15, 2025

    Jazz Loses Bid To Block Avadel From Seeking Sleep Drug OK

    Jazz Pharmaceuticals Inc. cannot block Avadel CNS Pharmaceuticals LLC from seeking U.S. Food and Drug Administration approval for its sleep disorder treatment, a Delaware federal judge ruled, saying the act of seeking FDA approval is not an infringing activity that can be enjoined.

Expert Analysis

  • What To Know About NCAA Deal's Arbitration Provisions

    Author Photo

    Kathryn Hester at Jones Walker discusses the key dispute resolution provisions of the NCAA's recently approved class action settlement that allows for complex revenue sharing with college athletes, breaking down the arbitration stipulations and explaining how the Northern District of California will handle certain enforcement, administration, implementation and interpretation disputes.

  • Fed. Circ. In June: Transitional Phrases In Patent Claims

    Author Photo

    The Federal Circuit's recent decision in Eye Therapies v. Slayback Pharma takes on the rarely addressed topic of transitional phrases in patent claims, providing some useful lessons regarding restating claim language and broadly distinguishing prior art, say attorneys at Knobbe Martens.

  • Series

    Playing Soccer Makes Me A Better Lawyer

    Author Photo

    Soccer has become a key contributor to how I approach my work, and the lessons I’ve learned on the pitch about leadership, adaptability, resilience and communication make me better at what I do every day in my legal career, says Whitney O’Byrne at MoFo.

  • Expect Unprecedented Delays In USPTO Patent Examination

    Author Photo

    With data from the first half of this year indicating that the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office is on pace to have a record backlog of unexamined patent applications at the end of the fiscal year, applicants and patent prosecutors should consider strategies to mitigate delays, say Matt Kamps and Emily Miller at Husch Blackwell.

  • And Now A Word From The Panel: Back In Action

    Author Photo

    A lack of new petitions at the May hearing session of the Judicial Panel on Multidistrict Litigation caught many observers' attention — but a rapid uptick in petitions scheduled to be heard at this week's session illustrates how panel activity always ebbs and flows, says Alan Rothman at Sidley.

  • Series

    Law School's Missed Lessons: Learning From Failure

    Author Photo

    While law school often focuses on the importance of precision, correctness and perfection, mistakes are inevitable in real-world practice — but failure is not the opposite of progress, and real talent comes from the ability to recover, rethink and reshape, says Brooke Pauley at Tucker Ellis.

  • Eye Drop Ruling Clarifies Importance Of Patent Phrasing

    Author Photo

    The Federal Circuit's recent ruling in Eye Therapies v. Slayback, rejecting the Patent Trial and Appeal Board's interpretation of "consisting essentially of," highlights the importance of using clear and consistent terms throughout a patent's filing history to shield it against future challenges, says Liliana Di Nola-Baron at Panitch Schwarze.

  • How Courts Are Addressing The Use Of AI In Discovery

    Author Photo

    In recent months, several courts have issued opinions on handling discovery issues involving artificial intelligence, which collectively offer useful insights on integrating AI into discovery and protecting work product in connection with AI prompts and outputs, says Philip Favro at Favro Law.

  • AI Infrastructure Growth Brings Unique IP Considerations

    Author Photo

    The explosive rise of artificial intelligence has triggered an equally dramatic transformation in the supporting infrastructure required to meet growing AI demand, and the technology used in these data centers has its own intellectual property considerations to navigate, says Vincent Allen at Carstens Allen.

  • Series

    Adapting To Private Practice: From ATF Director To BigLaw

    Author Photo

    As a two-time boomerang partner, returning to BigLaw after stints as a U.S. attorney and the director of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, people ask me how I know when to move on, but there’s no single answer — just clearly set your priorities, says Steven Dettelbach at BakerHostetler.

  • IPR Decisions Clarify Stewart's 'Settled Expectations' Factor

    Author Photo

    Recent discretionary denial decisions from U.S. Patent and Trademark Office acting Director Coke Morgan Stewart have begun to illuminate the contours of her "settled expectations" doctrine, informing when it might be worth petitioning for inter partes review if the patent at issue has been in force for a few years, say attorneys at Morgan Lewis.

  • How To Increase 3rd-Party Preissuance Patent Submissions

    Author Photo

    Attorneys Marian Underweiser and Marc Ehrlich, who helped draft the America Invents Act, discuss changes that the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office could potentially implement to facilitate its hopes for increased participation in front-end patent challenges.

  • Anthropic Ruling Creates Fair Use Framework For AI Training

    Author Photo

    A California federal court’s recent ruling that Anthropic’s use of copyrighted books to train its large language model qualified as fair use provides important guidance for both artificial intelligence developers and copyright holders because it distinguishes between transformative uses and unauthorized uses involving pirated or format-shifted works, say attorneys at Ropes & Gray.

  • Series

    Playing Baseball Makes Me A Better Lawyer

    Author Photo

    Playing baseball in college, and now Wiffle ball in a local league, has taught me that teamwork, mental endurance and emotional intelligence are not only important to success in the sport, but also to success as a trial attorney, says Kevan Dorsey at Swift Currie.

  • Assessing Impact Of USPTO's New Patent Policies

    Author Photo

    Recent data shows how the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office's new patent policies are affecting America Invents Act trial institution rates, including spurring an uptick in discretionary denials, say attorneys at Armond Wilson.

Want to publish in Law360?


Submit an idea

Have a news tip?


Contact us here
Can't find the article you're looking for? Click here to search the Intellectual Property archive.