Features
Muniauction v. Thomson
The <i>Muniauction v. Thomson</i> decision illustrates the Federal Circuit's application of the Supreme Court's decision on obviousness in <i>KSR Int'l Co. v. Teleflex, Inc.</i> and confirms the Federal Circuit's own decision on "joint or divided" infringement in <i>BMC Resources, Inc. v. Paymentech</i>.
Features
Auction Web Site Off the Hook
At one time or another, every trademark holder must deal with infringement on the Internet. After years of chasing individual infringers, many brand owners seek relief from those who provide the means for infringement. Yet these efforts have had limited success, at least in the United States. In some jurisdictions, search engines have avoided liability for sales of trademarks as keywords, under the doctrine of non-trademark use.
Features
Can MySpace Suits Can the Spam?
Social-networking sites such as MySpace and Facebook are dropping the legal hammer on spammers. The question is: Can they really nail the elusive disturbers of Internet peace?
Features
Keeping Up with Online Brand and Other Related Scams and Frauds
There can be little doubt in today's world that the Internet offers new ways to do old things. We can now work more efficiently, conduct financial business, enjoy recreational reading, socialize and perform a host of other tasks ' all online. Yet, this same Internet has provided an almost unguarded playground to allow thieves and other criminals to develop and unleash sophisticated scams and frauds on unsuspecting users.
Features
e-Commerce Docket Sheet
Online Promo Music Resales Fall under First Sale Doctrine<br>Unadorned Digital Car Models in Web Ads Not 'Real' For Copyright<br>Reseller Who Bought Ads with Trademark Not under First Sale Doctrine<br>Subpoena Seeking ISP Subscriber Billing Data Deemed Overbroad
Features
Wine Online
Now can I ship wine to out-of-state consumers? That's what people at wineries, and even retailers, have been asking e-commerce counsel since the Supreme Court decided <i>Granholm v. Heald</i>, which struck down wine-shipping regulations in Michigan and New York as discriminatory under the Dormant Commerce Clause. There are at least 50 answers to the question.
Features
The Future of Search in e-Discovery
The practice of "search" as part of electronic discovery is evolving before our eyes. Suddenly, what was once deemed industry standard is insufficient. Keyword search, the legal profession's preferred method for sifting through large collections of electronically stored information ("ESI") in order to find relevant or privileged information, had been widely accepted by courts and the legal community because its effectiveness was assumed and unchallenged. Until now.
Features
Reading Patents in Depth
The first installment of this article discussed 'active' reading; understanding the structure of a patent publication; and understanding why certain words were used and others were not. This conclusion addresses how to obtain technical information.
Features
Technology in Marketing: The Top 10 Law Firm Web Site SEO Best Practices
Google or other analytics reports typically show that search engines are a major source of Internet traffic to law firm Web sites (as well as law firm blogs). Therefore, a law firm seeking to increase traffic to its Web site should follow 'best practices' when it comes to search engine optimization, or SEO.
Features
Rambus: Clarification of IP Disclosure Rules in Standard Setting
In a case closely watched by intellectual property holders, the D.C. Circuit has provided new guidance on the potential antitrust consequences of the failure to disclose patent rights during a standard setting proceeding.
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MOST POPULAR STORIES
- Protecting Innovation in the Cyber World from Patent TrollsWith trillions of dollars to keep watch over, the last thing we need is the distraction of costly litigation brought on by patent assertion entities (PAEs or "patent trolls"), companies that don't make any products but instead seek royalties by asserting their patents against those who do make products.Read More ›
- Risks of “Baseball Arbitration” in Resolving Real Estate Disputes“Baseball arbitration” refers to the process used in Major League Baseball in which if an eligible player's representative and the club ownership cannot reach a compensation agreement through negotiation, each party enters a final submission and during a formal hearing each side — player and management — presents its case and then the designated panel of arbitrators chooses one of the salary bids with no other result being allowed. This method has become increasingly popular even beyond the sport of baseball.Read More ›
- Private Equity Valuation: A Significant DecisionInsiders (and others) in the private equity business are accustomed to seeing a good deal of discussion ' academic and trade ' on the question of the appropriate methods of valuing private equity positions and securities which are otherwise illiquid. An interesting recent decision in the Southern District has been brought to our attention. The case is <i>In Re Allied Capital Corp.</i>, CCH Fed. SEC L. Rep. 92411 (US DC, S.D.N.Y., Apr. 25, 2003). Judge Lynch's decision is well written, the Judge reviewing a motion to dismiss by a business development company, Allied Capital, against a strike suit claiming that Allied's method of valuing its portfolio failed adequately to account for i) conditions at the companies themselves and ii) market conditions. The complaint appears to be, as is often the case, slap dash, content to point out that Allied revalued some of its positions, marking them down for a variety of reasons, and the stock price went down - all this, in the view of plaintiff's counsel, amounting to violations of Rule 10b-5.Read More ›
- The DOJ's Corporate Enforcement Policy: One Year LaterThe DOJ's Criminal Division issued three declinations since the issuance of the revised CEP a year ago. Review of these cases gives insight into DOJ's implementation of the new policy in practice.Read More ›
- The DOJ Goes Phishing: The Rise of False Claims Act Cybersecurity LitigationWhile the DOJ Civil Cyber-Fraud Initiative is still in its early stages and cybersecurity regulations are evolving, whistleblower plaintiffs have already begun leveraging the FCA to pursue alleged noncompliance with government cybersecurity requirements.Read More ›