-
The Intellectual Property Strategist
What You Need to Know About the USPTO’s Proposed Rule Changes to PTAB Trials
Kerry S. Taylor and Nathanael R. Luman
On May 27, 2020 the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) proposed rule changes to govern inter partes review (IPR), post-grant review (PGR), and covered business method (CBM) review proceedings at the PTAB. This article provides a summary of each proposed rule change and its potential impact on PTAB practice.
Read More ›
-
The Intellectual Property Strategist
Statute of Limitations In Copyright Ownership Disputes: Questions from the Everly Brothers Case
J. Alexander Lawrence
Don and Phil Everly’s flawless harmonies that resulted in a string of hits in the 1950s and '60s regrettably ended in acrimony. The Sixth Circuit recently issued a decision in a dispute between Phil’s heirs and Don over copyright ownership of the No. 1 hit “Cathy’s Clown,” in which concurring Judge Eric E. Murphy raised important questions about when the statute of limitations should begin to run in copyright cases and whether courts have been correctly applying the law.
Read More ›
-
The Intellectual Property Strategist
Survey Says: Tips on Getting Over the Daubert Hurdle
Rebecca Kirk Fair, Peter Hess and Vendela Fehrm
Surveys can provide useful evidence in litigation if they are conducted by a qualified expert employing reliable methods that survive a Daubert challenge. In the first of a series of articles drawing on our review of over 300 U.S. court rulings in cases involving surveys, including over 150 Daubert motions, we provide some suggestions for getting survey evidence admitted for consideration in court.
Read More ›
-
The Intellectual Property Strategist
Recent Court Views on “Making Available” Controversy In Copyright Infringement
Stan Soocher
Federal courts have long disagreed over whether the unauthorized “making available” of a plaintiff’s works to the public is sufficient to constitute copyright infringement under the U.S. Copyright Act. Two June District Court decisions demonstrated the differences between the views of the Fourth and Ninth Circuits.
Read More ›
-
The Intellectual Property Strategist
IP News
Jeff Ginsberg and Zhiqiang Liu
Federal Circuit Finds Preamble Not Limiting and Claims Reciting Means-Plus-Function Limitations Without Disclosure of Corresponding Structures Cannot Be Determined Unpatentable as Indefinite in an IPR Proceeding
Federal Circuit Finds That District Court Correctly Applied the Disclosure-Dedication Doctrine In Granting a Motion for Judgment of Non-Infringement on the Pleadings
Read More ›
-
The Intellectual Property Strategist
Eliminating Willfulness as a Prerequisite to Recovering an Infringer’s Damages in Dilution Cases
Sarah Benowich
Romag Fasteners, Inc. v. Fossil, Inc.
The Supreme Court, settling a circuit split, held that, although highly important, willfulness is not a prerequisite for a trademark infringement plaintiff to obtain a profits award.
Read More ›
-
The Intellectual Property Strategist
U.S. Supreme Court Rejects ‘Defense Preclusion’ in Trademark Suit
Anthony J. Dreyer
On May 14, 2020, the U.S. Supreme Court resolved a circuit split, finding that any preclusion of litigation defenses must comply with traditional res judicata principles, and ruling that Lucky Brand was not precluded from asserting its defenses in its long-standing trademark litigation against Marcel Fashions Group
Read More ›
-
The Intellectual Property Strategist
Artificial Intelligence and Copyright: Ownership and Fair Use
Shaleen J. Patel and Sushmitha Rajeevan
Machine learning allows certain AI to create entirely new content based upon the materials it used to learn. In the process of creating new content, AI may create copies of copyrighted works in memory storage as a byproduct of its overall output sequence. This article explores authorship and ownership of such AI-generated content, and to what extent, if any, can copyrights be infringed upon when AI reproduces copyrighted works for machine learning.
Read More ›
-
The Intellectual Property Strategist
You’ve Made Your Bed, Now Lie In It – Binding Settlement Agreement Defeats A Post-Settlement Judgment
Rudy Kim and Chris Han
Holding that the parties’ executed agreement mooted the issues in the case, the Federal Circuit recently reversed a district court’s decision to grant summary judgment of non-infringement despite the parties’ agreement. The decision builds upon prior Federal Circuit case law giving effect to settlement agreements.
Read More ›
-
The Intellectual Property Strategist
IP News
Howard Shire and Shaleen Patel
Article III Inter Partes Review Decision Precluded By Congress, SCOTUS Rules
SDNY: Video Game Makers Not Violating Copyright with NBA Player Tattoos
Read More ›
-
The Intellectual Property Strategist
Supreme Court Rules States Cannot Be Involuntarily Liable for Copyright Infringement
Shaleen J. Patel
The U.S. Supreme Court has ruled that individual states are free to commit copyright infringement. The Court held that Congress attempted to abrogate states’ sovereign immunity in an unconstitutional manner when enacting the Copyright Remedy Clarification Act of 1990 (CRCA).
Read More ›
-
The Intellectual Property Strategist
Practical Tips for Securing Patent Rights for AI-Generated Inventions
Gunjan Agarwal
While AI is rising as a key commercial player at the global scale with an expected market size of almost $400 billion by 2025, are patent laws around the world equipped to incentivize this revolution?
Read More ›
-
The Intellectual Property Strategist
Avoiding Trade Secret Losses During Corporate Collaboration
Felix Eyzaguirre and Katherine D. Prescott
Effective corporate collaborations — whether close customer relationships, supplier partnerships or formal joint ventures — demand that sensitive information be shared. Without proper agreements and well-defined boundaries, however, those corporate collaborations can lead to loss of trade secret protection and entangle the parties in litigation.
Read More ›
-
The Intellectual Property Strategist
IP News
Jeff Ginsberg and Matthew Weiss
Federal Circuit: Method of Preparation Claim is Patentable
Federal Circuit: Same Party Cannot Join IPR Petitions under 35 U.S.C. §315(c)
Read More ›
-
The Intellectual Property Strategist
Attorney’s Fees After Octane: More Chances for Defendants to Even the Playing Field
Rudy Y. Kim
With fewer restraints after Octane, district courts now have broader discretion to grant motions for attorney’s fees. But understanding the circumstances under which exceptionality has been found is critical. Recent decisions by the Federal Circuit post-Octane provide some important guidance on when attorney’s fees may be available under Section 285.
Read More ›
-
The Intellectual Property Strategist
Swedish Music Industry Views: Part Two
Stan Soocher
Part Two of a Two Part Article
This article discusses, among other things, the Swedish music industry perspective on the European Union’s Copyright Directive, the growth of multi-country music licensing hubs and the impact of Brexit.
Read More ›
-
The Intellectual Property Strategist
Kozinski Angle In 9th Circuit’s Led Zeppelin Ruling
Scott Graham
Defendants Led Zeppelin and its music labels were the winners in the copyright decision by the Ninth Circuit over the song “Stairway to Heaven.” But the estate of songwriter Randy Wolfe (p/k/a California) wasn’t the only one who got the short end. Among the collateral damage from the ruling was a 2002 precedent written by former Chief Judge Alex Kozinski that endorsed the so-called “inverse-ratio” rule.
Read More ›
-
The Intellectual Property Strategist
IP News
Shaleen J. Patel
VARA Lives On: A $6.75M Lesson on Respecting Moral Rights
Read More ›
-
The Intellectual Property Strategist
You Know What It Is: Taco Tuesday and the Failure-to-Function Doctrine In Trademark Law
Brandon Leahy
The foundational requirement that a trademark function as a trademark has received little attention in the case law. More recently, however, there has been an apparent uptick in scrutiny of trademark use by the USPTO and TTAB, as well as fresh academic attention paid to the issue.
Read More ›
-
The Intellectual Property Strategist
Swedish Music Industry Views as European Union Countries Work on Drafting Home Laws for Enacting EU Copyright Directive
Stan Soocher
This article is Part One of a two-part article
This article examines the Copyright Directive and music-industry structure issues through the lens of Sweden, which has both a robust music business and a strong technology sector, two divergent perspectives in the development of the directive.
Read More ›
-
The Intellectual Property Strategist
IP News
Jeff Ginsberg
Northern District of Texas: Even Post-Berkheimer, Patent Claims Continue to be Ineligible for Patenting as a Matter of Law When They Are Not Drawn to Particular Technical Solutions or Advances Described in the Specification
Federal Circuit: The PTAB Cannot Institute Inter Partes Review on Obviousness Grounds Not Included in the IPR Petition, But Can Consider Evidence of “General Knowledge” in the Art
Read More ›
-
Entertainment Law & Finance
‘Vanicorn’ Lawsuit Filed over Pixar, Disney Film
Scott Graham
A unicorn-loving tattoo artist alleges that Pixar and Disney have tricked her into letting them use her “Vanicorn” in the upcoming film Onward. Her suit accuses the companies of copyright infringement, and violations of state and federal laws protecting artwork.
Read More ›
-
The Intellectual Property Strategist
U.S. Supreme Court Reaffirms the American Rule In De Novo Challenges to the PTO
Jonathan Moskin
In 2013, the PTO adopted a new policy under which any party commencing a de novo proceeding challenging a PTO decision would be responsible to pay a pro rata share of the salaries of the government attorneys working on the matter. On Dec. 11, 2019, the U.S. Supreme Court rejected the PTO’s new interpretation of the Patent Act and held that the American Rule, a centuries-old principle under which each party bears its own attorneys’ fees, does apply to this statute.
Read More ›
-
The Intellectual Property Strategist
The Trademark That Got His Goat
Mary A. Donovan
In a recent trademark cancellation case that has drawn “human interest” attention in the news, the plaintiff appealed an adverse decision to the Federal Circuit. The plaintiff was not “kidding” when he expressed his opinion that the registered mark, described as “goats on a roof of grass,” is demeaning to goats which, in turn, is offensive to him.
Read More ›
-
The Intellectual Property Strategist
IP News
Shaleen J. Patel
Do Not Pass Go? U.S. Supreme Court to Review Federal Circuit’s Finding of Justiciability
Read More ›
-
The Intellectual Property Strategist
Patenting Diagnostic Tests: Can We Expect Changes?
Leslie Kushner
This article discusses the jurisprudence applied to determining patent eligibility of claims for diagnostic methods, and the expectation for changes in analysis of patent eligibility under §101 in the near future.
Read More ›
-
The Intellectual Property Strategist
Safeguarding Your Intellectual Property
Matthew Calcagno
Documents are the lifeblood of any law firm. The documents that a firm produces are its greatest asset, especially the intellectual property — trade secrets, patent information, etc. — contained in those documents, yet firms historically have not made sufficient efforts to safeguard those documents from both internal and external threats.
Read More ›
-
The Intellectual Property Strategist
When Are Short Phrases in Songs Protectable?
Robert W. Clarida and Robert J. Bernstein
It’s a common fact pattern: A songwriter alleges that another songwriter has infringed the lyrics of Song A by using a similar short phrase, frequently a current slang phrase, in the lyrics of Song B. Claims like this do not often succeed because “words and short phrases such as names, titles, and slogans” are “not subject to copyright.”
Read More ›
-
The Intellectual Property Strategist
IP News
Joshua R. Stein and Jeff Ginsberg
Federal Circuit Holds PTAB Judges Unconstitutional, Constructs a Fix—But Not All Judges Agree on What Happens Next
Read More ›
-
Entertainment Law & Finance
IP Issues and Esports Athletes
Frank Ready
A new esports-centric survey released by the law firm of Foley & Lardner projects that esports revenues will climb above the $1 billion mark this year. But the increased stakes and growing sophistication of the industry will likely not be without their headaches.
Read More ›
-
The Intellectual Property Strategist
The California Consumer Privacy Act: Everything You Wanted to Know But Were Afraid to Ask
Alan L. Friel
Part Two of a Two-Part Article
Read More ›
-
The Intellectual Property Strategist
Supreme Court, Finally, Takes Up Google v. Oracle
Scott Graham
The U.S. Supreme Court has jumped into a titanic copyright battle between Oracle Corp. and Google LLC with both barrels. The court’s involvement is sure to reignite a 50-year-old debate over how much, if any, software should be subject to copyright, and the contours of the fair use defense in the digital age.
Read More ›
-
The Intellectual Property Strategist
More Chinese Companies Are Joining U.S. Firms to Fight Patent Trolls
Phillip Bantz
Some of China’s largest companies have banded together with major brands in the United States and elsewhere to neutralize “patent trolls,” an indication that the country’s firms are becoming increasingly concerned about patent infringement litigation.
Read More ›
-
The Intellectual Property Strategist
IP News
Anthony H. Cataldo
U.S. Supreme Court to Hear Booking.com Trademark Case
Read More ›
-
Entertainment Law & Finance
Photo Cases Test Copyright Law and Embedded Tweets
Raychel Lean
A New Yorker who settled a copyright lawsuit against several news outlets over a photo he took of star quarterback Tom Brady and Boston Celtics manager Danny Ainge has struck again. This time he’s suing a radio station owner in Florida federal courts in a case that could test the boundaries of an emerging area of copyright law, raising major questions about how media companies incorporate social media posts into online stories.
Read More ›
-
Cybersecurity Law & Strategy
Safeguarding Your Intellectual Property
Matthew Calcagno
The documents that a firm produces are its greatest asset, yet firms historically have not made sufficient efforts to safeguard those documents from both internal and external threats. Law firms have typically had an open-door approach to document access. This means that anyone in your firm can likely access any document at any time, leaving your firm’s intellectual property entirely unprotected.
Read More ›
-
Entertainment Law & Finance
Sparks From En Banc Arguments In Song Suit Against Led Zeppelin
Scott Graham
There was much harmony along with a few discordant notes as an en banc panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit took up the copyright case involving Led Zeppelin’s “Stairway to Heaven.”
Read More ›
-
The Intellectual Property Strategist
Fourth Circuit Rules that Website’s Unauthorized Posting of Stock Photograph Was Not ‘Fair Use’
Michael W. Mitchell and Edward Roche
The decision in Brammer v. Violent Hues sheds some light on when re-posting will be a “fair use” and when it will give rise to liability.
Read More ›
-
Entertainment Law & Finance
Cultural Icons Spawn Lawsuits Worth Close Looks
Michael F. Snyder
The ownership of intellectual property rights can be at the core of legal disputes involving pop culture icons. Considering the goodwill, effort and money spent in building a brand, character or commercial impression, it is not surprising that parties to intellectual property agreements find themselves revisiting their arrangements over time. That is what is happening in two recent federal lawsuits, one in New York involving a beloved figure in Philadelphia sports and the other in California focused on the Old Spice cologne commercial jingle.
Read More ›
-
The Intellectual Property Strategist
How the U.S.-China Trade War Effects IP Strategy
Rob Maier
The trade war between the United States and China has had far-reaching effects on international trade and the global economy. The dispute is slowly developing into a battle of attrition, without any immediate resolution on the horizon despite ongoing trade talks. As businesses change the way they operate in response to this unpredictable trade environment, counsel should consider the risks and potential impacts on corporate IP strategy.
Read More ›
-
The Intellectual Property Strategist
The California Consumer Privacy Act: Everything You Wanted to Know But Were Afraid to Ask
Alan L. Friel
Part One of a Two-Part Article
The California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA) is a comprehensive new consumer protection law set to take effect on Jan. 1, 2020. In the wake of the CCPA’s passage, approximately 15 other states introduced their own CCPA-like privacy legislation, and similar proposals are being considered at the federal level. Part One of this article covers how the CCPA applies to businesses — both in and outside California, the revenue threshold, proposed amendments and other open issues.
Read More ›
-
The Intellectual Property Strategist
IP News
George Soussou and Jeff Ginsberg
More Than a Recitation of Hooke’s Law Needed for Patent Protection
A Claim for a Chair Limits the Claim to a Chair
Read More ›
-
The Intellectual Property Strategist
The Madrid System Turns 30: The Pros and Cons of Using the Madrid Protocol in the United States and for U.S. Based Companies
Stacey C. Kalamaras
This summer, the Madrid System turned 30 years old, and as two more countries prepare to join the Madrid Protocol we look at how the Madrid System has grown as it enters full adulthood.
Read More ›
-
The Intellectual Property Strategist
Exploring the Nebulous Boundaries of Trade Dress
Nicole D. Galli
Now that we are in the digital age, questions have been raised about the trade dress of websites and apps.
Read More ›
-
The Intellectual Property Strategist
Damages for Extraterritorial Infringement of U.S. Patents
Aaron Davidson
A look at the gray area of infringement of U.S. patents in the U.S., but with related consequences or actions outside the U.S.
Read More ›
-
The Intellectual Property Strategist
IP News
Howard Shire and Christine Weller
Penn State Files Trademark Lawsuit against Sports Beer Brewing Company
Can OSU Trademark the Word “The”?
Read More ›
-
Entertainment Law & Finance
Analysis of Warhol Art Fair Use Ruling
Robert W. Clarida and Robert J. Bernstein
The U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York held that a series of silkscreen paintings and prints by Andy Warhol based on a photograph of music legend Prince taken by Lynn Goldsmith constituted a transformative fair use.
Read More ›
-
The Intellectual Property Strategist
Seeing Green: Protecting Brands In the Cannabis Industry
David S. Gold
Branding is not a new concept, nor are the various intellectual property laws that protect brands. What is new to most is how this burgeoning industry can take advantage of those laws within the context of state and federal restrictions.
Read More ›
-
The Intellectual Property Strategist
Rights and Obligations In Patent Licenses
Tom Gushue
The owner of a commercially successful patent may have competing desires. On one hand, the patent owner wants to protect the patent and secure its maximum benefit; on the other hand, the patent owner wants to avoid enforcement litigation with competitors because it is expensive and puts the patent at risk.
Read More ›
-
The Intellectual Property Strategist
Did Congress Create Unintended Risks to Innovators In the AIA?
Glenn E.J. Murphy
Many observers greeted the passage of the AIA into law as a long-overdue overhaul of U.S. patent law that aligned it with patent systems prevailing in the rest of the world. Who knew what mischief just seven of the AIA’s more than 25,000 words contained? The U.S. Supreme Court answered earlier this year.
Read More ›
