Insights from Acting Director Stewart’s Decisions on Discretionary Denial under the New Interim Processes for PTAB Workload Management
July 31, 2025
Just three months ago, Acting Director of the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) Coke Morgan Stewart rescinded existing guidelines governing the Patent Trial and Appeal Board’s (PTAB) discretion to deny petitions for inter partes review (IPR) and post-grant review (PGR) when parallel litigation is already pending in federal district court or the U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC). Acting Director Stewart replaced those guidelines with new interim processes that rely on the Director to issue decisions on patent owners’ requests for discretionary denials.
IP News
July 31, 2025
“Not Merely Monkey Business”: The Bored Ape Case and NFT Branding in the Ninth Circuit
The Rise of Revenue Intelligence: Why Law Firms Are Leveraging AI to Reimagine the Revenue Lifecycle
July 31, 2025
Legal technology is in the middle of a paradigm shift — one where firms are no longer satisfied with incremental fixes and point solutions. Instead, they’re seeking transformation: of systems, workflows, and outcomes. Nowhere is that transformation more urgent — or more impactful — than in how firms manage the revenue lifecycle.
Relocating Easements By Servient Owner
July 31, 2025
Under what circumstances can a servient owner relocate an easement? New York's Second Department recently faced that question and reaffirmed the rule that a servient owner cannot unilaterally relocate an easement when the easement agreement depicts the precise location of the easement.
Copyright-Termination Case Complexities and Sixth Circuit’s Decision In “Que Sera Sera” Litigation
July 31, 2025
The Nashville federal court where the lawsuit was filed summarized the litigation as “concern[ing] the rights to a prolific composer’s music, a dizzying estate plan, and two descendants at odds over how to manage the royalties those compositions earn.”
Inconvenient Interlocutory Bankruptcy Appeals — A Reply
July 31, 2025
A bankruptcy judge, his law clerk and two law students challenged this author’s opinion piece entitled “Inconvenient Bankruptcy Appeals” from the December 2024 issue of The Bankruptcy Strategist that district courts and Bankruptcy Appellate Panels have been rigidly limiting appellate review of interlocutory bankruptcy court orders as a matter of convenience. The critics argue instead that these courts consistently apply appropriate statutory and decisional standards when they decline appellate review, striving to “get it right.” A quick reply follows.
Opportunity Zone Program Gets Renewal — and An Upgrade — With One Big Beautiful Bill Act
July 31, 2025
For investors, real estate developers and communities, with new incentives now available and the permanent status of the QOZ program, substantial tax benefits and the opportunity to improve disadvantaged areas are welcome news for 2025 and beyond.
Closing the Gaps In Legal Document Management: The Top 6 Things Law Firms Need to Know
July 31, 2025
Firms no longer have the luxury of making do: productivity is leaking, risk is compounding, and legacy systems — once seen as untouchable — are now being scrutinized through a different lens that prioritizes agility, security, and user experience. From dispelling misconceptions, to the risk of traditional print and how to focus on the basics, here are the top six things firms need to know about closing the gaps in legal document management.
When Sanctions Fail: The Ovsiannikov Case and Why Enhanced Due Diligence Must Become a Compliance Standard
July 31, 2025
As geopolitical tensions escalate and global sanctions regimes become more aggressive, the Ovsiannikov case serves as a stark warning: checkbox compliance is no longer sufficient. EDD must become the operational standard — not just in banking, but across every sector involved in high-risk transactions.
Navigating DOJ’s New White-Collar Playbook
July 31, 2025
Key Risks for Government Contractors, Tech Companies and Healthcare EntitiesThe DOJ recently unveiled a series of policy updates that shifted the white-collar enforcement landscape. These updates — an emphasis on the False Claims Act, a shift away from the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act, and increased incentives for self-disclosure and whistleblowers — are poised to reshape how companies approach compliance.
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