Features
Sean Gates
&
Jeny Maier
Fifty years ago, the U.S. Supreme Court held that the collection of royalties after a patent's expiration constitutes <i>per se</i> patent misuse. Although criticized by scholars, antitrust agencies and the lower courts, <i>Brulotte</i> has not only endured, it has impacted licensing practices in a number of contexts. All that may change, however.
Features
Gina Passarella
The collective weight of the new year is upon law firm managing partners, with the season being that of collections, partner compensation and rate-setting. And the latter has proven a bit vexing for firm leaders as they grapple with setting rates in an era where firms span multiple markets and practice concentrations, clients aren't willing to pay the published rates and alternative fee deals are a growing part of firm revenue.
Features
Matthew Siegal
&
Adam Sapper
The Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit, in a case of first impression, ruled that when the patent at issue is a standard essential patent (SEP) and its owner is subject to an obligation to license that patent on reasonable and non-discriminatory (RAND) terms, the jury instructions must discuss the specific obligations of that patentee and not RAND commitments in general.
Features
Mark Hamblett
Recently at the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit, a lower court ruling that Google Books' digital library isn't copyright infringement came under attack.
Features
Carl N. Boccuti
As a result of the decrease in spending during the Recession, there is considerable cash sitting on the sidelines. Yet every year, there has been uncertainty hovering over the markets, preventing prudent companies from opening the cash spigot. So how does it look for 2015?
Features
Saranac Hale Spencer
Cookies are either a benign method for furnishing Internet users with relevant advertising or they are the foundation of a pernicious invasion of privacy, lawyers argued in front of the Third Circuit last month.
Features
Gary C. Smith
If your business is like many retail-driven franchises, you have unwanted inventory hogging valuable storage space and putting a drag on your bottom line. The good news is, there is a way to turn that outdated stock into a hefty asset. One that doesn't involve profit-devouring discounts or liquidation hassles. It's called product philanthropy. And for franchises that hold C Corporation status, it's one of the best kept secrets of the IRS tax code.
Features
Tony Mauro
The U.S. Supreme Court on Dec. 8 scratched the surface of the looming battle over state taxation of Internet retailers and seemed troubled by what it saw.
Features
Abraham D. Sofaer
Consolidation is one of several ongoing battlefields in the development of arbitration in America. Consolidating arbitrations among different parties can reduce costs, enhance efficiency and avoid inconsistent decisions. In practice, however, attempts to consolidate arbitrations without the consent of affected parties has resulted in costly litigation, long delays, and legal uncertainties that undermine the benefits of arbitration.
Features
Christopher M. Winter
In a recent case, two large law firms and a major corporation failed to scrutinize a UCC-3 termination statement and may have inadvertently allowed $1.5 billion in indebtedness to become unsecured.
