Features
Analyzing the New York Franchise Act of 1980: Q&A with Thomas M. Pitegoff, New York Bar Association, Business Law Section
In August 2005, the New York Bar Association authorized the formation of a subcommittee of the Business Law section to review, analyze, and possibly revise or rewrite the New York Franchise Act of 1980 to better reflect the current franchising landscape. The subcommittee has held several meetings and is soliciting input from all interested parties. In this interview, Thomas M. Pitegoff (White Plains, NY) discusses the initial goals of the subcommittee, its progress to date, and its continued interest in receiving comments from franchisors, franchisees, and their representatives, and others who may be affected by the New York franchise law.
A Comparison of Novelty in Patent Law and an Analysis of Filing Strategies
This is the first of a two-part article. This installment discusses the implications of different foreign filing strategies for establishing a priority date under 35 U.S.C. §102(e). Next month's installment will discuss recommendations for foreign applicants filing in the United States and the situation under the European Patent Convention.
Features
Secondary, Extraterritorial Liability for Process Inventions
The reach of U.S. influence on the world is undeniable, and the Federal Circuit in the past few months has done nothing to shrink from that expansion.
Features
Infringement By Source Code 'Golden Master': Developments in Patent Infringement Law Concerning Extra-U.S. Sales
Until recently, U.S. software companies comfortably operated under the assumption that selling software that was copied from a "golden master" CD outside of the United States, and which was sold only to customers outside of the United States, did not infringe U.S. patents. Recent developments in the law have destroyed that comfort and made clear that infringement liability may very well lie for exactly those types of foreign sales.
Case Notes
Highlights of the latest product liability cases from around the country.
Online: Find Product Liability Articles on the Web
If you're looking for articles pertaining to product liability litigation, the Rand Institute for Civil Justice ("ICJ") has a Web site that lists and summarizes a variety of articles that are available for purchase or for free. Go to <i>www.rand.org/icj/pubs</i> and click on "Product Liability."
Practice Tip: Expert Preparation ' The Ipse Dixit Problem
Until 1997, when the Supreme Court decided <i>General Electric v. Joiner</i>, 522 U.S. 136, (1997), I had never heard of the term <i>ipse dixit</i>. Now, almost every month I read a decision in which that phrase appears. <i>Ipse</i>, in Latin, is "he himself"; <i>dixit</i>, "to say." Its dictionary meaning is "an unsupported assertion, usually by a person of standing."
Features
The Six Habits of Highly Effective Risk Management Programs
This month's installment discusses the final three habits of highly effective risk management programs.
A Primer for Successor Corporations on Avoiding Potential Product Liability Exposure
Among the myriad acquisitions, mergers, assets sales and other transactions that are consummated every day by companies engaged in the business of manufacturing, distributing or selling products, there is hardly a transaction imaginable that does not somehow implicate a precedent corporate entity. A corporation that "succeeds" to another company's operations may be deemed responsible for the latter's liabilities, including claims with respect to products manufactured, sold or distributed before the acquisition. The resulting liability, if visited upon a successor, may subject it to exposure far beyond anything ever contemplated at the time of the transaction ' and in amounts that far exceed the value of the deal or the worth of the entire company.
Need Help?
- Prefer an IP authenticated environment? Request a transition or call 800-756-8993.
- Need other assistance? email Customer Service or call 1-877-256-2472.
MOST POPULAR STORIES
- Bankruptcy Sales: Finding a Diamond In the RoughThere is no efficient market for the sale of bankruptcy assets. Inefficient markets yield a transactional drag, potentially dampening the ability of debtors and trustees to maximize value for creditors. This article identifies ways in which investors may more easily discover bankruptcy asset sales.Read More ›
- Why So Many Great Lawyers Stink at Business Development and What Law Firms Are Doing About ItWhy is it that those who are best skilled at advocating for others are ill-equipped at advocating for their own skills and what to do about it?Read More ›
- Blockchain Domains: New Developments for Brand OwnersBlockchain domain names offer decentralized alternatives to traditional DNS-based domain names, promising enhanced security, privacy and censorship resistance. However, these benefits come with significant challenges, particularly for brand owners seeking to protect their trademarks in these new digital spaces.Read More ›
- Professional Development: How to Be An Ally In the Legal ProfessionLast year law firms sent out announcements about their commitment to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) efforts in response to racial tensions. One of the initiatives firms stated they implemented is a formal allyship program. However, allyship in not a program or a mindset. It is a verb.Read More ›
- Damages In Trademark Infringement LitigationsDuring a time when online marketing, virtual shopping and electronic communication are more widely used than ever, it is critically important for entertainment industry businesses to be highly aware of how they are using trademarks, the scope of a trademark owner's rights and the consequences of infringing them.Read More ›