Over-the-Border Drug Debate Heats to Boiling
October 16, 2003
<b><i>The State of the Re-Importation Debate</i></b> When Gov. Rod R. Blagojevich of Illinois announced in mid-September that his state was considering buying drugs from Canada for its employees and citizens, the debate over cross-border drug purchases via the Internet and by other means, got even hotter than it was before. The pharmaceutical industry is fighting a battle similar in scope to the music industry's Internet copyright infringement war, but because no suits have been brought against 80-year-old diabetics buying insulin from pharmacies in Montreal, national debate on the issue of the purchase of foreign drugs has gotten less press of late than the debate over music piracy.
X1: A Rocket Ship into Computer Archives
October 10, 2003
Finding files on one's computer can be, to say the least, a tedious and time consuming job that sometimes comes up empty handed. When you couple that with the stresses of putting out documents in a law firm, day in and day out, the job now pushes its way up to a monumental task! One would think that this topic should have been covered years ago, and done in fine fashion at the dawning age of computers. But alas, no such product has come along to make the chore less of a chore. To boot, most of the present day market products are not very handy when it comes to finding files on your office hard disks, but now a very new product makes the search fast ' and furiously good
Baycol: A Sudden Rush to Settle
October 07, 2003
In the last several weeks, Pittsburgh-based Bayer Corp. has been rapidly settling federal lawsuits and claims involving Baycol, the anti-cholesterol drug it pulled off the market in August 2001 after it was linked to 100 deaths worldwide, two Miami law firms say.
How Much Damage?
October 07, 2003
The recent decision by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit in <i>EZ Dock Inc. v. Schafer Systems Inc.</i>, 276 F.3d 1347 (Fed. Cir. 2002) may well have an impact on the development of biotechnological and pharmaceutical inventions.
Patent Reissue Strategies and Pitfalls
October 07, 2003
A properly drafted set of patent claims captures any foreseeable competitor activity without being so broad as to read on the prior art. In the real world, such perfect claims are difficult to craft. Oftentimes, patent claims are drafted too narrowly and competitive products avoid infringement. Likewise, later discovered prior art may render broad claims invalid. But all is not lost, as the United States Patent Code provides patentees with procedures for correcting imperfect claims.
New Financial Concepts in Patents
October 07, 2003
The bear market, the uncertain economy and pre-war jitters caused companies to seek to increase their cash reserves and to look aggressively for opportunities to increase their revenue. Certain advanced financial strategies recently used in financial markets may offer companies the opportunity to do just that. In particular, in-house patent attorneys and consultants should seriously consider recommending patent monetization as an alternative to standard patent licensing. The emerging monetization strategies that provide alternatives to licensing are founded on the growing appreciation that patents are actually an asset class in a financial sense as compared to a mere asset from an accounting sense. An asset class, as distinct from an asset, comprises a collection of assets that have in common systematic or macroeconomic drivers of price and risk.
Making A Colorful Impression
October 06, 2003
The power of color begins early. When youngsters get down on the floor with a big piece of paper and a box of crayons or markers, it doesn't take long before every color has been used. We all love color.
Strategies For Marketing During Wartime
October 06, 2003
With the U.S. and its allies at war with Iraq, one of the nation's largest marketing trade groups, the Direct Marketing Association (DMA), tackled what they view as the inevitable repercussions ' 'likely impact on the economy, consumer behavior, receptivity to marketing vehicles, and the possibility of reactive terrorist acts both domestically and abroad.' Based on the experiences of its members during the period post-Sept. 11, the anthrax scares and the 1991 Gulf War, the DMA offers suggestions on how to tailor direct and interactive marketing during wartime:
on the job
October 06, 2003
In Job Ads, Say What You Mean, Mean What You Say Do your personnel ads begin with glowing testimonials to the success and stature of the firm? This may…
Ask the coach
October 06, 2003
Q: Our research department gathers intelligence for us about prospects we intend to approach. How much, and what type, info should we seek about prospects' current law firm relationships?
