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Intellectual Property
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July 08, 2025
4th Circ. Revives Medical Device Co.'s Claim In Contract Suit
The Fourth Circuit on Tuesday revived a medical device maker's breach of contract claim alleging a company it hired to manage its patents globally overcharged for services, sending the case back to a Virginia federal court.
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July 08, 2025
Judge Doubts OpenAI Rival Used Similar TM Commercially
A California federal judge appeared skeptical Tuesday that Open Artificial Intelligence Inc. began using its name commercially earlier than ChatGPT developer OpenAI Inc., pushing the lesser-known company for evidence and expressing impatience over what she viewed as a lack of any substantive backing.
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July 08, 2025
Exclusion's Use Of 'The' Supports Alt. Reading, 5th Circ. Says
The Fifth Circuit said an exclusion barring coverage for intellectual property infringement claims didn't necessarily relieve an insurer from covering defense expenses an oil and gas company incurred in an IP theft lawsuit, finding the exclusion's use of "the" led to a pro-coverage, reasonable meaning.
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July 08, 2025
Medical Co. Wants High Court To Review Rushed Patent Case
A medical device maker has asked the U.S. Supreme Court to hear it out on claims that a North Carolina federal judge rushed the case to trial and violated the Fifth Amendment right to due process by shortening the amount of time for discovery.
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July 08, 2025
The Biggest Copyright Rulings Of 2025: A Midyear Report
Two California judges were the first to deliver crucial rulings about what constitutes fair use in training generative artificial intelligence models — a question expected to test the boundaries of the copyright doctrine amid the emergence of the groundbreaking technology. Here is ¼«ËÙÈü³µ's list of the biggest copyright decisions so far this year.
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July 08, 2025
Clarity Sought On Tycoon's Trade Secrets In Hacking Suit
A federal judge has said he needs a clearer picture on whether aviation tycoon Farhad Azima owns the trade secrets he has accused a North Carolina private investigator of leaking as part of an international hacking conspiracy, ordering both sides to beef up their briefing on the issue.
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July 08, 2025
Fed. Circ. Won't Revive EcoFactor Thermostat Patent Claims
The Federal Circuit on Tuesday refused to revive a series of EcoFactor Inc. patents related to energy-efficient smart thermostats, backing Patent Trial and Appeal Board findings that Google showed the patents were invalid.
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July 08, 2025
Frost LLP Adds Entertainment Vet As Partner
Longtime entertainment attorney Gary Stiffelman has joined Frost LLP as a partner after several years at his own firm, bringing the experience of four decades representing what the firm said were numerous high-profile artists, cultural leaders and executives.
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July 07, 2025
6th Circ. Affirms Toss Of 'Que Sera, Sera' Writer's Family Spat
The Sixth Circuit Monday refused to revive a royalties spat between the granddaughter and daughter of Jay Livingston, the late Oscar-winning co-songwriter of "Que Sera, Sera," saying in a published opinion that the granddaughter failed to plausibly allege that her mom's bids to terminate copyright grants were invalid.
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July 07, 2025
Annoyed Fed. Circ. Judge Unsure Where To Land In Drug Row
An irascible Federal Circuit judge chewed out both sides of the aisle Monday morning during arguments over a generic endocrine disorder drug, and although she accused one attorney of "beating a straw man to death," the judge said she still wasn't sure how she would decide the appeal.
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July 07, 2025
Fed. Circ. Digs Into Domestic Industry For Apple Watch Appeal
A Federal Circuit panel on Monday struggled with how to meet domestic industry requirements needed for the U.S. International Trade Commission to issue import bans, as it evaluated the agency's high-profile decision to keep certain Apple Watches out of the U.S.
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July 07, 2025
Ioengine Wants Fed. Circ. To Rethink IPR Estoppel Ruling
Ioengine LLC on Monday urged the Federal Circuit to rethink a panel's decision backing a jury's invalidation of its flash drive patents for being publicly available, saying the decision would upend a balance meant to protect patent owners against repetitive legal attacks.
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July 07, 2025
Fed. Circ. Ponders If PTAB Developments Save 'Veto' Rule Suit
A Federal Circuit judge wondered Monday if developments concerning the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office director's discretionary denial process could breathe new life into advocacy groups' fight for a "veto" for small business patent owners defending themselves at the Patent Trial and Appeal Board.Â
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July 07, 2025
As New Era Dawns For College Athletes, Repairs Still Needed
As far back as late 2023, when a broad cross-section of former college athletes was certified as a class to sue the NCAA for unpaid name, image and likeness compensation, all parties involved have known that the eventual settlement of its claims would repair just one specific broken part of the college sports ecosystem. With the portion of the $2.78 billion settlement designed to share institutional revenues directly with athletes going into effect on Tuesday, legal experts still wonder how and when enough will be done to set right the scales that went unbalanced for decades.
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July 07, 2025
Fitch Even Fights Bid To Toss Prenatal Test Patent Suit
Fitch Even Tabin & Flannery LLP is urging an Illinois federal court not to toss its suit seeking a declaration that the co-founder of a former client isn't the inventor behind a prenatal test patent, contesting her argument that the firm lacks standing to sue.
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July 07, 2025
Law Firm Partners United Co-Founder Joins King & Spalding
A Goodwin Procter LLP intellectual property partner who earlier this year co-founded a coalition of BigLaw attorneys challenging the Trump administration's attacks on law firms has jumped to King & Spalding LLP.
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July 07, 2025
AI Weather Startup Claims Rival Used Trade Secrets
An artificial intelligence-powered weather simulation startup has sued a rival company in California federal court, claiming a consultant took its source code and used it to found the competitor.
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July 07, 2025
USPTO Ups Number Of Prioritized Patent Applications
The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office is raising the number of applications it can accept each year for a prioritized patent examination to 20,000.
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July 07, 2025
George Clinton Faces Sanctions Bid In IP Suit
Music executive Armen Boladian has asked a Florida federal court to sanction funk legend George Clinton, saying he was raising issues already adjudicated in their decades-long series of legal disputes.
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July 07, 2025
ESPN, NFL Skewer Jets Legend's Suit Over Doc Portrayal
ESPN and NFL Films are looking to escape a lawsuit that Mark Gastineau, a former New York Jets defensive end, brought against them over their portrayal of him in a "30 for 30" documentary, telling a New York federal court the onetime defensive player of the year granted the companies full access to his image and likeness and surrendered any right to approve its use.
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July 07, 2025
Fed. Circ. Affirms Cisco's Defeat Of $371M Patent Suit
The Federal Circuit on Monday declined to revive software company Egenera's $371 million patent lawsuit against Cisco, affirming lower court findings that the communications giant didn't infringe.
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July 07, 2025
Chicago Cubs Deride Rooftop Biz's 'Sights And Sounds' Claim
The Chicago Cubs scoffed at the assertion that they're trying to control the sounds and smells that escape from Wrigley Field as argued in a dismissal bid by a nearby rooftop owner the club is suing for violating its intellectual property rights.
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July 04, 2025
UK Litigation Roundup: Here's What You Missed In London
The past week in London has seen the owner of Crystal Palace and the troubled Olympique Lyonnais football clubs sue its current chief executive John Textor, Fieldfisher faces a claim by Georgian businessman Zaza Okusahvili, and a dispute partner at Travers Smith file a personal injury claim against the firm.
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July 03, 2025
American Eagle, Amazon Settle Aerie TM Infringement Case
American Eagle Outfitters has agreed to settle its suit claiming that Amazon used the clothing line's Aerie trademarks without permission to drive traffic to its site and trick customers into thinking Amazon sold Aerie products, according to a dismissal order filed in New York federal court.
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July 03, 2025
Efficient Power Appeals Stewart Decision After Patent Is Axed
Efficient Power Conversion is appealing acting U.S. Patent and Trademark Office Director Coke Morgan Stewart's rejection of its request that she apply new policies on when Patent Trial and Appeal Board petitions should be denied to a decision that invalidated its microchip patent.
Expert Analysis
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Increased Tariffs Create Opportunity To Protect IP Rights
Heightened tariffs on certain foreign imports have created operational and fiscal challenges for companies, but the corresponding increase in customs inspections could offer a silver lining of more consistent enforcement against counterfeit and infringing goods, says Andraya Pulaski Brunau at Day Pitney.
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Prior Art Ruling Highlights Importance Of Detailed Elaboration
The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office's recent decision in Ecto World v. RAI Strategic Holdings shows that when there is a possibility for discretionary denial, and the examiner has potentially overlooked prior art, patent owners should elaborate on as many of the denial factors as possible, says Frank Bernstein at Squire Patton.
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Series
Law School's Missed Lessons: Appreciating Civil Procedure
If you’re like me, law school’s often complex and theoretical approach to teaching civil procedure may have contributed to an early struggle with the topic, but when seen from a practical perspective, new lawyers may find they enjoy mastering these rules, says Chloe Villagomez at Foster Garvey.
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Section 899 Could Be A Costly Tax Shift For US Borrowers
Intended to deter foreign governments from applying unfair taxes to U.S. companies, the proposal adding new Section 899 to the Internal Revenue Code would more likely increase tax burdens on U.S. borrowers than non-U.S. lenders unless Congress limits its scope, says Michael Bolotin at Debevoise.
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Calif. Bar Exam Fiasco Shows Why Attys Must Disclose AI Use
The recent revelation that a handful of questions from the controversial California bar exam administered in February were drafted using generative artificial intelligence demonstrates the continued importance of disclosure for attorneys who use AI tools, say attorneys at Troutman.
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Opinion
Anti-Counterfeiting Efforts Must Hold China Accountable
As the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development drafts guidelines for combating counterfeit goods, U.S. representatives must be frank about the need to hold Chinese platforms accountable for their role in counterfeiting — and specific about the changes that will be required, says Eli Clemens at the Information Technology and Innovation Foundation.
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Securing IP Protection For AI Avatars
As artificial intelligence avatars play an ever-expanding role in sales, operations and entertainment, companies must plan for intellectual property protection for these brand assets as their control will turn on the nuances of their creation and use, say attorneys at K&L Gates.
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In 2nd Place, Va. 'Rocket Docket' Remains Old Reliable
The U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia was again one of the fastest civil trial courts in the nation last year, and an interview with the court’s newest judge provides insights into why it continues to soar, says Robert Tata at Hunton.
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Parsing A Lack Of Antitrust Info-Sharing Enforcement Clarity
Information sharing among competing firms has recently faced dramatic changes in antitrust agency guidance, while courts grapple with the permissible scope of pricing algorithms, leaving companies in limbo, but potential Trump administration changes could offer some reprieve, say attorneys at Axinn.
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Foreign Sovereign Entities Should Heed 9th Circ. IP Ruling
After the Ninth Circuit recently held that four Chinese state-controlled companies were not immune from criminal indictment for alleged economic espionage, foreign sovereign-controlled entities should assess whether their operations and affiliation with their parent states qualify for sovereign immunity under the common law, say attorneys at Cleary.
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How Attorneys Can Become Change Agents For Racial Equity
As the administration targets diversity, equity and inclusion efforts and law firms consider pulling back from their programs, lawyers who care about racial equity and justice can employ four strategies to create microspaces of justice, which can then be parlayed into drivers of transformational change, says Susan Sturm at Columbia Law School.
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Strategies For Litigating In The Unified Patent Court
Since opening its gates two years ago, the European Unified Patent Court has transformed the patent litigation landscape and global litigation strategies, but parties seeking to take advantage of the court's robust processes must be prepared for the front-loaded character of UPC proceedings, say attorneys at McDermott.
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Series
Running Marathons Makes Me A Better Lawyer
After almost five years of running marathons, I’ve learned that both the race itself and the training process sharpen skills that directly translate to the practice of law, including discipline, dedication, endurance, problem-solving and mental toughness, says Lauren Meadows at Swift Currie.
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3 Mistakes To Avoid In Service Provider AI Terms
Every service provider contract doesn't need extensive artificial intelligence provisions, because when poorly drafted, they create impracticable obligations, miss important distinctions and may reflect wrong understanding of the law, says Chris Wlach at Huge Inc.
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DOJ Policy Shifts May Resurrect De Facto 'China Initiative'
The U.S. Department of Justice's recently unveiled white collar enforcement strategy seemingly marks a return to a now-defunct 2018 policy aimed at combating national security concerns with China, and likely foretells aggressive scrutiny of trade and customs fraud, sanctions evasion, and money laundering, say attorneys at BakerHostetler.