Intellectual Property

  • April 28, 2025

    Stewart Wants PTAB To Check If Chip Co. Has Ties To Intel

    The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office's acting director has ordered the Patent Trial and Appeal Board to allow discovery over a chipmaker's relationship with Intel Corp., which could block challenges targeting patents issued to a former Texas Instruments Inc. executive.

  • April 28, 2025

    SAIC, Feds, Microsoft Settle Night-Vision Goggle Patent Suit

    The federal government has reached a deal to end a suit from Science Applications International Corp. accusing the government of contracting with Microsoft and L3 Technologies Inc. for night-vision goggle weapon systems with infringing displays.

  • April 28, 2025

    USPTO Discovery In VLSI Row Unlawul, PQA Tells Fed. Circ.

    A company that was sanctioned for flouting discovery while challenging the validity of a VLSI Technology LLC patent underpinning a since-vacated $1.5 billion infringement verdict told the Federal Circuit on Friday that the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office director lacked the authority to order that discovery.

  • April 28, 2025

    ITC Affirms Optimum's Network Patent Case Is Over

    The U.S. International Trade Commission has decided not to breathe any new life into Optimum Communications Services Inc.'s patent infringement case against several Chinese tech companies over network switching and routing patents, but it also cut part of an agency judge's findings on ownership of the patents.

  • April 28, 2025

    Chinese Cos. Lose Immunity Fight In 9th Circ. IP Case

    The Ninth Circuit on Monday shot down arguments from related Chinese steel companies that they shouldn't have to face espionage charges that they stole DuPont trade secrets for creating titanium dioxide, saying they aren't protected by foreign sovereign immunity.

  • April 28, 2025

    'Top Gun: Maverick' Writer's Cousin Says He Co-Piloted Script

    The cousin of a "Top Gun: Maverick" screenwriter has sued Paramount Pictures in New York federal court, alleging he penned many of the film's key scenes but never received any credit or compensation for his purported contribution to the 2022 blockbuster.

  • April 28, 2025

    PTAB Axes 3 Gaming Patents, Trims Another In Playrix Fight

    Administrative patent judges have agreed to wipe out three mobile video game software patents asserted against game developer Playrix but split on prior art arguments challenging two claims in a related fourth patent.

  • April 28, 2025

    Google Claims Row Delays Dormify's Ch. 11 IP Asset Sale

    A dispute over a $600,000 claim from Google led bankrupt dorm room furnishing retailer Dormify Inc. to delay approval of a sale of its intellectual property assets to Williams-Sonoma Inc. Monday to give the debtor time to resolve the conflict.

  • April 28, 2025

    NC Judge Says 'Natural Dog' TM Confusion Fight Needs A Trial

    A North Carolina federal judge denied a Tar Heel State pet store chain's bid for a pretrial win in a trademark infringement suit brought against it by Natural Dog Acquisitions LLC, ruling Monday that the case needs a jury trial to resolve certain questions of fact.

  • April 28, 2025

    Trump Must Face Copyright Claim Over Isaac Hayes Song Use

    A Georgia federal judge refused to free President Donald Trump from a copyright infringement claim levied against him over his election campaign's use of artist Isaac Hayes' song "Hold On, I'm Coming" at rallies.

  • April 28, 2025

    Casper Sleep Gets PTAB To Squash Cooling Pillow Patent

    The Patent Trial and Appeal Board has ruled that the claims in a patent for a cooling pillow were invalid, handing a win to e-commerce sleep product company Casper Sleep in its challenge.

  • April 28, 2025

    High Court Passes On Coke Sweetener Patent Case

    The U.S. Supreme Court on Monday rejected a Texas chemical company's challenge to a Federal Circuit decision scratching claims in a patent on the process to create the artificial sweetener used in Coke Zero, in a case that addressed whether the secret usage of that process could preclude its patent eligibility. 

  • April 28, 2025

    High Court Declines Review Of 'Server Test' In Copyright Suit

    The U.S. Supreme Court on Monday rejected a challenge to the Ninth Circuit's criteria for determining copyright liability when photos are embedded online, denying a photographer's appeal in a case where he is suing Canadian media company Valnet Inc.

  • April 25, 2025

    Ramey Loses Last-Minute Attempts To Avoid Sanctions

    Texas attorney Bill Ramey and two others will have to pay more than $64,000 and alert disciplinary bodies that they have been sanctioned by Saturday, after a California federal court and the U.S. Supreme Court refused a last-minute stay on the sanctions.

  • April 25, 2025

    Thomson Reuters Tells 3rd Circ. AI Fair Use Appeal Is Too Early

    Thomson Reuters on Thursday urged the Third Circuit to reject tech startup Ross Intelligence's bid for a quick appeal focusing on two key questions from a trial court decision concluding it infringed the Westlaw platform to create an artificial intelligence-backed competing legal research tool.

  • April 25, 2025

    Samsung Presses For New Trial After $192M EDTX Verdict

    Samsung is asking a Texas federal court for a new trial in its latest bid to escape a $192 million jury verdict owed to a small Silicon Valley outfit that asserted a handful of wireless charger patents against the tech giant.

  • April 25, 2025

    Photo Studio Urges Justices To Reject 'Discovery Rule' Appeal

    A photography studio urged the U.S. Supreme Court on Friday to reject an appeal asking for review of the so-called discovery rule, a judicially created doctrine that allows copyright claims outside the statute of limitations, arguing that the justices already rejected a similar petition last term.

  • April 25, 2025

    'Yellowjackets' Makers Swat Away Suit Alleging 'Eden' Copy

    The similarities between the TV show "Yellowjackets" and the 2015 film "Eden" are not substantial enough to support a copyright infringement claim, a California federal judge ruled Friday, tossing the filmmaker's suit against Showtime, Lions Gate Entertainment Corp. and the makers of the show.

  • April 25, 2025

    Patents Commissioner Hits Positive Note On Agency Reforms

    At an event to celebrate World Intellectual Property Day on Friday, the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office's acting patent division leader acknowledged the changes underway at the agency under the Trump administration, but said one key metric is trending in the right direction: pending patent applications.

  • April 25, 2025

    7th Circ. Upholds Mixed Verdict Over Rolling Paper Ads

    The Seventh Circuit upheld all aspects of a mixed verdict in a dispute between two rolling paper companies, saying that manufacturer HBI International had not violated the Lanham Act but also leaving in place a nationwide injunction against some of the company's advertising practices.

  • April 25, 2025

    Mondelez Says Ghost Can't Use Sour Patch, Other Snack TMs

    Two Mondelez International subsidiaries have filed suit in Illinois to halt Ghost LLC's marketing of energy products that feature Sour Patch Kids, Oreo and certain other iconic snack brand trademarks, claiming Ghost's license to do so ended when Keurig Dr. Pepper began controlling the company.

  • April 25, 2025

    ​​​​​​​50 Cent Says Horror Film Using His Name Without Permission

    Rapper 50 Cent filed a trademark infringement suit against Hollywood producer Ryan Kavanaugh in California federal court Thursday to stop the release of a horror movie that he alleged used his name, likeness and intellectual property to promote it, without a finalized agreement in place.

  • April 25, 2025

    Record Cos. Say Houston Rapper Can't Support 'Still Tippin'' Suit

    A pair of record companies accused of ripping off the unofficial Houston anthem "Still Tippin'" urged a federal court Friday to dismiss the lawsuit, writing that the rapper behind the song hasn't alleged a "plausible claim."

  • April 25, 2025

    Ex-Google Engineer Claims Coercion In AI Trade Secrets Case

    A former Google software engineer accused of stealing artificial intelligence trade secrets for Chinese startups has asked a California federal court to suppress statements he made to government investigators, alleging they used forceful tactics during an interrogation and did not read him his Miranda rights.

  • April 25, 2025

    Samsung Owes $279M In Wireless Patent Suit, Jury Says

    A Texas federal jury on Friday said Samsung owes nearly $279 million after finding the company infringed two wireless communications patents developed by Airgo Networks co-founder Greg Raleigh's later research outfit.

Expert Analysis

  • Series

    Improv Makes Me A Better Lawyer

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    Improv keeps me grounded and connected to what matters most, including in my legal career where it has helped me to maintain a balance between being analytical, precise and professional, and creative, authentic and open-minded, says Justine Gottshall at InfoLawGroup.

  • How BigLaw Executive Orders May Affect Smaller Firms

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    Because of the types of cases they take on, solo practitioners, small law firms and public interest attorneys may find themselves more dramatically affected by the collective impact of recent government action involving the legal industry than even the BigLaw firms named in the executive orders, says Reuben Guttman at Guttman Buschner.

  • Opinion

    Lawsuits Shouldn't Be Shadow Assets For Foreign Capital

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    Third-party litigation financing amplifies inefficiencies from litigation and facilitates national exposure to foreign influence in the U.S. justice system, so full disclosure of financing arrangements should be required as a matter of institutional integrity, says Roland Eisenhuth at the American Property Casualty Insurance Association.

  • How To Accelerate Your Post-Attorney Career Transition

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    Professionals seeking to transition to nonattorney careers may encounter skepticism as nontraditional candidates, but there are opportunities for thought leadership and to leverage speaking and writing to accelerate a post-attorney career transition, say Janet Falk at Falk Communications and Evgeny Efremkin at Toronto Metropolitan University.

  • 5 Key Licensing Considerations For AI Innovations

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    As businesses increasingly integrate artificial intelligence technology into their operations, they must prepare to address complex intellectual property challenges and questions surrounding licensing AI-based innovations, which require careful consideration of ownership, usage rights and regulatory compliance, says Lestin Kenton at Sterne Kessler.

  • A Higher Bar For Expert Witnesses In Drug Patent Litigation

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    With recent decisions emphasizing courts' growing insistence on robust methodologies in pharmaceutical patent disputes, litigators must be strategic in how they utilize expert testimony and adapt to venue-specific expectations, says Jeremy Scholem at WIT Legal.

  • Series

    Law School's Missed Lessons: Be An Indispensable Associate

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    While law school teaches you to research, write and think critically, it often overlooks the professional skills you will need to make yourself an essential team player when transitioning from a summer to full-time associate, say attorneys at Stinson.

  • Protecting Brand Identity In An AI-Driven Marketplace

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    A lawsuit recently filed in New York federal court marks a critical moment in the intersection of artificial intelligence and trademark law, underscoring the importance of — and challenges surrounding — IP owners' ability to protect their brands as AI-generated content continues to grow, says Wendy Heilbut at Heilbut LLC.

  • Series

    Birding Makes Me A Better Lawyer

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    Observing and documenting birds in their natural habitats fosters patience, sharpens observational skills and provides moments of pure wonder — qualities that foster personal growth and enrich my legal career, says Allison Raley at Arnall Golden.

  • Justices May Clarify What IP Competitors In Litigation Can Say

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    If the U.S. Supreme Court agrees to weigh in on Atturo Tire v. Toyo Tire, it may be able to provide guidance on the murky questions surrounding what companies enforcing their intellectual property against competitors are allowed to say in public, say attorneys at Ballard Spahr.

  • How To Ensure Confidentiality When Using AI In Discovery

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    In light of a recent case in the Southern District of New York involving the dissemination of AI-generated content containing confidential information, there are steps that law firms and lawyers should take to protect client and third-party data during litigation, say attorneys at Steptoe.

  • An Update On IPR Issue Preclusion In District Court Litigation

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    Two recent Federal Circuit rulings have resolved a district court split regarding issue preclusion based on Patent Trial and Appeal Board outcomes, potentially counseling petitioners in favor of challenging not only all the claims of an asserted patent, but also related patents that have not yet been raised in district court, say attorneys at Alston & Bird.

  • Series

    Adapting To Private Practice: From DOJ Leadership To BigLaw

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    The move from government service to private practice can feel like changing one’s identity, but as someone who has left the U.S. Department of Justice twice, I’ve learned that a successful transition requires patience, effort and the realization that the rewards of practicing law don’t come from one particular position, says Richard Donoghue at Pillsbury.

  • In-House Expert Testimony Is Tricky, But Worth Considering

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    Litigation counsel often reject the notion of designating in-house personnel to provide expert opinion testimony at trial, but dismissing them outright can result in a significant missed opportunity, say David Ben-Meir at Ben-Meir Law and Martin Pitha at Lillis Pitha.

  • Fed. Circ. Ruling Reaffirms Listing Elements Separately Is Key

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    The Federal Circuit's decision last month in Regeneron v. Mylan reaffirms a critical principle in patent law: When a claim lists elements separately, the clear implication is that they are distinct elements, say attorneys at Taft.

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