Analysis

3 Federal Circuit Clashes To Watch In June

By Ryan Davis

The Federal Circuit's argument calendar next month includes a dispute between Micron and Netlist over Idaho's law against "bad faith" patent suits, and appeals of multimillion-dollar verdicts against Boston Scientific on a stent patent and TP-Link on Wi-Fi patents.

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Split Fed. Circ. Says $452M Trade Secret Case Was Untimely

By Ivan Moreno

A split Federal Circuit panel on Thursday erased Insulet Corp.'s trade secret victory against EOFlow Co. Ltd., holding that the medical device maker filed its claims too late and reversing a $452 million jury verdict that was later reduced to $59.4 million.

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6th Circ. Revives P-Funk Keyboardist's Copyright Royalty Suit

By Melanie Dorsey

The Sixth Circuit revived part of the estate of late Parliament-Funkadelic keyboardist George "Bernie" Worrell's copyright suit against group co-founder George Clinton and his company Thang Inc., ruling that a jury must decide whether Worrell partly owned the recordings he helped create. 

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J&J Unit Cleared In Blood Pump Patent Suit In Mass.

By Adam Lidgett

A Massachusetts federal jury on Thursday cleared a Johnson & Johnson MedTech subsidiary of allegations that it infringed a blood pump patent owned by a unit of Swedish medical device company Getinge AB.

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Squires To Review TikTok Foreign Ties In Another IPR

By Adam Lidgett

U.S. Patent and Trademark Office Director John Squires is going to review his own decision to institute review of a computer hardware patent challenged by TikTok, saying he was considering whether a foreign government should have been listed as an interested party.

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Squires Scrutinizing Grant Of Asus IPR Over Sotera Concern

By Theresa Schliep

U.S. Patent and Trademark Office Director John Squires has ordered a review of his own decision to institute a challenge by ASUSTeK Computer Inc. and Asus to a Nokia patent, citing Nokia's allegations that the U.S. International Trade Commission might be considering the same invalidity arguments.

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HSBC Defeats Most Claims In First Citizens' Poaching Suit

By Elliot Weld

A California federal judge has dismissed the bulk of First Citizens Bank & Trust Co.'s suit against HSBC alleging the latter induced a mass resignation and misappropriated trade secrets, saying the court still didn't have any jurisdiction over some defendants and that an amended complaint had not cured issues with a previously dismissed complaint.

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Wine School TM Fight Sours For Co. Challenging Rival's Name

By Matthew Santoni

A Philadelphia wine-education business can't get an injunction stopping a similar venture from using the name Philly Wine School just because the first company has been around longer, a Pennsylvania federal judge has ruled.

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5 AI Cos. Sued Over Neural Network Patent In Delaware

By Elliot Weld

Five companies developing various transcription, speech-to-text and customer experience products with artificial intelligence are facing lawsuits brought by an entity alleging they infringed a patent covering neural networks.

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CNN Accuses AI Co. Perplexity Of 'Free Riding' On Reporting

By Rae Ann Varona

CNN on Thursday became the latest news publisher to accuse Perplexity of copyright infringement, asserting in a complaint filed in New York federal court that the self-described artificial intelligence "answer engine" copied more than 17,000 of the network's stories, videos and images without permission.

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Fed. Circ. Reinstates PTAB Challenge To E-Learning Patent

By Adam Lidgett

Employee training platform Go1 won its bid to revive its challenge to a cloud learning patent it has been accused of infringing, after the Federal Circuit on Thursday threw out the Patent Trial and Appeal Board's finding that the company failed to show the patent was invalid.

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Aerospace Co. Must Pay $2M In Network System Contract Trial

By Elliot Weld

A Texas federal judge has entered a final judgment ordering aerospace manufacturer Cabin Management Solutions Inc. to pay nearly $2 million to an audio-video network transmission company that accused it of reneging on a negotiated fee for the use of a signal transmission system.

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Nearmap, Eagleview Reach Roof Measurement Patent Deal

By Adam Lidgett

The owner of a series of patents covering a system for measuring and identifying attributes in a roof by using aerial imagery has settled its yearslong infringement allegations against Nearmap in Utah federal court.

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ITC Investigating Welch's Rival's Fruit Snack Imports

By Jack McLoone

The U.S. International Trade Commission opened an investigation into claims by the manufacturer of Welch's Fruit Snacks that a rival company, Cibo Vita, is importing patent-infringing yogurt-covered snacks into the U.S.

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It's 'Just Math,' Lenovo Says Of German Co.'s Patent Claims

By Abigail Harrison

Lenovo told a North Carolina federal court that it should find invalid a collection of patent claims from a German research organization related to wireless audio communications, arguing they are all overly broad and abstract.

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Tesla Tumbler Targeted In New MiiR Patent, Trade Dress Suit

By Rachel Riley

Stainless-steel drinkware manufacturer MiiR launched a patent and trade dress infringement lawsuit in Washington federal court on Thursday accusing Tesla of stealing its slim, cylindrical mug and lid design for the electric vehicle maker's "On The Road Tumbler."

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DC Media Company Sues NOTUS Over 'Star' Rebrand

By Aneeta Mathur-Ashton

An upstart media company is suing a Washington publisher over the would-be rival's upcoming rebranding as "The Star," saying in Virginia federal court Thursday that it had warned the competitor that it had registered a trademark on that name for news reporting in the D.C. area.

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Eden Foods Says CBD Co. Is Running Afoul Of TM Settlement

By Gina Kim

Organic food producer Eden Foods sued Eden Holistics in Nevada federal court Wednesday, alleging that it violated their settlement agreement in an underlying trademark dispute in which the CBD company was to stop specific uses of "Eden" in connection with consumable goods and that it never intended to comply with it.

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Energy Drink Co. Ex-Execs Won't Face Limits At New Jobs

By José Luis Martínez

A Texas federal judge will allow executives to continue their jobs without broad restrictions at a relaxation beverage company after leaving the energy drink company behind C4 and Bloom, although the judge approved the executives' stipulations that they will not share or use any confidential information.

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Skin Care Co. Says Ex-Consultant Cut Off Access To Accounts

By Rachel Konieczny

A former independent consultant for a Colorado skin care company unlawfully withheld access to the company's business and operational accounts and is preventing the firm from processing customer transactions, fulfilling orders and collecting revenue, the company alleged in Colorado federal court.

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Athletes Decry Antitrust Immunity In College Sports Bill

By David Steele

College athlete advocacy groups have criticized a proposed bipartisan U.S. Senate bill that provides congressional oversight to college sports and allows athletes to have agents, but also limits player movement and compensation and grants the NCAA antitrust immunity.

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Ex-NBA Player Sues Crypto Co. After $2M Publicity Deal Sours

By Dorothy Atkins

Former NBA player Tristan Thompson sued cryptocurrency firm World Mobile Group Ltd. in Delaware Chancery Court, accusing the company of manufacturing bogus allegations to get out of its obligations under his $2 million brand ambassador deal while continuing to use his name, image and likeness.

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Opinion

International Patent Licensing System Must Be Maintained

As foreign approaches to patent enforcement threaten to distort the licensing markets that underpin modern technology, courts and policymakers must take action to ensure that the standard essential patent framework is preserved, says Brian O'Shaughnessy at Dinsmore.

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Series

Studying Foreign Languages Makes Me A Better Lawyer

Studying Italian and Japanese has shown me that learning a new language can benefit a legal career in several ways, including by demonstrating the importance of approaching problems from a fresh perspective and the value of practicing patience with colleagues and clients, says Anna King at Genworth Financial.

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Brief

Davis Polk Adds A&O Shearman Antitrust Partner In NY

By Andrea Keckley

Davis Polk & Wardwell LLP has hired a former A&O Shearman partner, who joined its antitrust and competition practice in New York.

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Bonus Spotlight

Selendy Gay Doles Out Spring Associate Bonuses

By Aebra Coe

New York litigation boutique Selendy Gay PLLC paid its associates spring bonuses of as much as $25,000 this week, according to the firm.

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Ex-Calif. Appellate Judge To Take Over As Law School Dean

By Rose Krebs

A former California appellate justice, who was the first Muslim to serve as a Court of Appeal justice in the U.S., has been named Western State College of Law at Westcliff University's next dean.

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Dems Say DOJ Blocked Bondi On Trump Questions

By Courtney Bublé

Democrats were incensed on Friday that the U.S. Department of Justice attorneys who accompanied former Attorney General Pam Bondi to her committee interview stopped her from answering questions about President Donald Trump.

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Civil Rights Icon Clarence B. Jones Dies At 95

By Andrea Keckley

Civil rights icon Clarence B. Jones, a speechwriter and personal attorney to Martin Luther King Jr., died May 22 at an assisted living facility in the Santa Clara County city of Cupertino, California, his family confirmed earlier this week. He was 95.

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Roundup

UK Litigation Roundup: Here's What You Missed In London

By Megan Norcott

The past week in London has seen the billionaire who donated £5 million ($6.7 million) to Nigel Farage sue Ben Habib, the leader of far-right party Advance UK, for defamation; Mashreqbank bring claims against three subsidiaries of dissolved private equity giant Abraaj Group for commercial fraud; and the property and investment vehicle of the State of Kuwait be targeted by four real estate figures who filed a miscellaneous claim. Here, Law360 looks at these and other new claims in the U.K.

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Titan Of The Plaintiffs Bar: Boies Schiller's Matthew Schwartz

By Sarah Jarvis

Matthew L. Schwartz oscillated among many career aspirations as a kid, from astronaut to mayor of New York. When it was time to head off to college, the man who would go on to handle the prosecution of employees tied to Bernie Madoff and become chair of Boies Schiller Flexner LLP set his sights on science, earning an undergraduate degree in physics.

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Law360's Legal Lions Of The Week

By Kevin Penton

Phillips Black Inc., Hogan Lovells and Watkins & Eager PLLC lead this week's edition of Law360 Legal Lions, after the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that a Black Mississippi death row prisoner who argued racial discrimination tainted his jury selection is entitled to habeas corpus relief.

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DLA Piper Hires Real Estate, Construction Partner In Seattle

By Nate Beck

DLA Piper said it has added a Seattle-based real estate partner with experience advising a range of construction projects including data centers, mixed-use projects, schools and renewable energy facilities.

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GC Cheat Sheet: The Hottest Corporate News Of The Week

By Sue Reisinger

Kirkland & Ellis says it's investing a half billion dollars into developing its own artificial intelligence platform to better serve clients. And Law360 looks at the general counsel who is guiding BP through its latest leadership crisis after the company abruptly dismissed its board chair.

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Baker McKenzie Asks Judge Not To Toss Suit Against Ex-Atty

By Alison Knezevich

A lawyer for Baker McKenzie on Friday urged a Washington, D.C., judge not to dismiss the BigLaw firm's defamation suit against a former tax associate who accused a firm office leader of sexual assault, telling the court the accusations were false and made with "malice."

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Fla. Panel Revives Firm's Suit Over Tobacco Case Referrals

By David Minsky

A Florida state appellate court revived a law firm's complaint alleging tortious interference against a widow over a contingency fee agreement involving tobacco injury case referrals, finding that the lower court wrongly tossed the lawsuit based on extraneous information even though there was sufficient evidence to support a claim.

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NY Judge Doubts Nussbaum-Linked Firms Belong In Ch. 11

By Emily Lever

A New York bankruptcy judge on Friday questioned whether his court was the proper venue to wind down two commercial real estate law firms headed by Mark J. Nussbaum as the debtors sought to ditch an assignment for the benefit of creditors process in New York state court.

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Trump Urges 3rd Circ. To Reverse 'Bizarre' Anti-SLAPP Loss

By Dorothy Atkins

President Donald Trump urged the Third Circuit on Thursday to find a Pennsylvania anti-SLAPP statute shields him from the Central Park Five's defamation claims, slamming the lower court's "truly bizarre" ruling in an opening brief filed the same day a DLA Piper partner and others joined Trump's defense team.

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In Case You Missed It: Hottest Firms And Stories On Law360

For those who missed out, here's a look back at the law firms, stories and expert analyses that generated the most buzz on Law360 last week.

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Akin Gump Owes Fees For Winebow's 'Self-Indulgent' Appeal

By Dorothy Atkins

The Ninth Circuit on Thursday ordered an importer's Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld LLP attorneys to pay a European winemaker fees for having to defend against the importer's "spurious objections" to the winemaker's valid arbitral award, ruling that the importer's "self-indulgent" appeal warrants sanctions in the form of fees.

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Colo. Appeals Court Bars One-Way Fees In Eviction Cures

By Zach Dupont

A Colorado Court of Appeals panel on Thursday reversed the dismissal of a proposed class action against a group of landlords, Tschetter Sulzer PC and the Colorado Apartment Association accusing the collective of illegally extracting attorney fees from tenants during eviction proceedings.

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Double Shooting Renews Courthouse Safety Fears In NC

By Hayley Fowler

The shooting of two Fox Rothschild LLP attorneys outside a courthouse in Raleigh, North Carolina, ahead of Memorial Day weekend has renewed calls to protect the safety of judges and lawyers in an increasingly volatile justice system.

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Calif. Panel Reverses Order For Citing Atty's Bogus Case Law

By Dorothy Atkins

A California appellate panel on Thursday reversed a judgment in favor of a man accused of abusing his son, finding that "without doubt" the trial judge abused her discretion by incorporating the man's bogus legal citations into her ruling, despite being alerted to the mistakes in advance.

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