LJN Newsletters

Not so many years ago, running a law firm was a simpler process. If you were good at legal research, drafting documents, arguing cases and attracting and advising clients, the business took care of itself. But today, managing a legal practice, particularly for large firms, is more like running a large, sophisticated, multinational business.

E-mail on Employer's Computer Protected by Attorney Client Privilege
Anticybersquatting Claim Survives in Case Involving Famed Retailer
Inaccessible Retail Web Sites Violate ADA

You may not know about it, but it is happening: At least one, and probably more, of your business' employees has entered the 'blogosphere.' The world of blogs, or interactive diaries posted on the Internet, has expanded exponentially over the past 3 years, and 'bloggers' cannot seem to resist the urge to talk about their jobs. These sometimes quasi-journalistic postings raise a host of concerns for employers, such as protecting a hard-won public image, safeguarding confidential information, and preventing defamation of managers and co-workers. Such concerns arise because blogs can reach millions of readers long before the employer even learns about the posting. No laws specifically regulate 'blogging,' and there is virtually no case law to provide guidance. Consequently, employers need to look elsewhere for guidance on the balance between their employees' interest in having a life away from work and ensuring that employees' activities in the blogosphere do not damage business interests ' a blogging policy.

Several states are cracking down on the online dating industry, proposing new laws that would, among other things, mandate criminal background checks on all those looking for love on the Internet.

The advent of the Internet has provided businesses with a wealth of previously unavailable resources. Companies may now use electronic tools to communicate instantaneously with customers and associates around the globe. These improvements in sharing information, however, have not come without costs, and today's businesses must be aware of the risks involved in using these technologies. This article, the first in a two-part series, contains an overview of some common risks inherent in Internet use and closes with a discussion of how those risks might affect litigation.

Business-focused patent protection fundamentally improves the ability of a given product or process to attract a market. It is important for patent professionals to structure regular interactions with business leaders to both impact early business decisions, as well as gain alignment to an individual industry's dynamics. While there can be no fundamental template applicable to all technologies and all business needs, this article is intended to be a guide for efficient integration.

In today's global marketplace, an increasing number of technology-driven companies include R&D outsourcing as part of their business practice. Some industry sectors even consider the viability of technology outsourcing as a prerequisite to any high-impact business plan.

In NTP Inc. v. Research In Motion Ltd., 270 F. Supp. 2d 751 (E.D. Va. 2003), the jury found that Research in Motion's ('RIM's') BlackBerry' e-mail system infringes several valid claims of NTP's patents in suit. RIM did not request re-examination of the patents in the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office ('USPTO') until after the jury verdict was entered, and after the Director of the USPTO himself started re-examinations of five relevant patents. After the jury had finished and the USPTO had acted alone, RIM filed 14 additional re-examination requests. Several requests were filed for each relevant patent.