Does Dentons’ verein structure shield it from conflict claim? Malpractice suit says the answer is no

Are law firms that operate under a Swiss verein structure considered one law firm when determining conflicts of interest? The world’s largest law firm by head count, Dentons, avoided an answer to that question when a case settled before the U.S. International Trade Commission, the ABA BNA Lawyers’ Manual on…

Apr 27, 2016 5:45 AM CDT

Supreme Court will consider damages issue in Apple and Samsung smartphone patent fight

The U.S. Supreme Court has agreed to consider a damages question in a smartphone patent battle between Samsung and Apple. The U.S. Supreme Court agreed (PDF) on Monday to consider Samsung’s bid to overturn a $399 million verdict for design infringement, SCOTUSblog reports. Samsung was ordered to pay the money…

Mar 22, 2016 5:45 AM CDT

Many lawyer departures prior to Dickstein’s demise were planned, former chairman says

Contrary to what one might believe from reading media reports, a steady stream of departures from Dickstein Shapiro in recent months was not lawyers leaving a sinking ship but part of a planned strategy, the former chairman of the now-defunct firm says. “Since July, with very few exceptions, all of…

Feb 22, 2016 4:45 PM CST

Can patent laws halt the reselling of used ink cartridges? Federal Circuit to consider

Feb 1, 2016 2:50 AM CST

Tug-of-war over interpretations of patent law continues between Federal Circuit and SCOTUS

Jan 1, 2016 3:00 AM CST

Patent holders rush to beat new pleading standards; record number of suits filed Monday

Patent holders apparently eager to file suit in advance of new pleading standards filed more than 200 lawsuits on Monday, setting what is believed to be a one-day record for patent suits. The final weeks of November were also popular for patent suits, report the Recorder (sub. req.) and Ars…

Dec 2, 2015 12:16 PM CST

Patent holders allege financial companies are misusing new post-grant review process for profit

Ferrum Ferro Capital, a privately held venture fund, lists its address at a mailbox rental store in Wilmington, Delaware. The company's mostly empty website describes itself as "focused on innovation, application and monetization." Four months after the company was formed in 2014, Ferrum Ferro filed for FDA approval of a…

Dec 1, 2015 3:20 AM CST

Supreme Court to consider standard for enhanced damages in patent cases

The U.S. Supreme Court has agreed to decide whether the standard for awarding enhanced patent-infringement damages is too rigid. The court granted cert Monday in two consolidated cases raising the issue, SCOTUSblog and Reuters report. The Recorder previewed the cases in a Sept. 25 article (sub. req.). The new cases…

Oct 19, 2015 9:53 AM CDT

Apple infringed University of Wisconsin patent, jurors find; damages could be up to $862M

A federal jury has found that Apple infringed a University of Wisconsin patent for improved processor efficiency in chips used in newer iPhones and iPads. Jurors reached a verdict on Tuesday in the liability phase of the trial, report Reuters, the Wall Street Journal (sub. req.), Law.com (sub. req.) and…

Oct 15, 2015 8:12 AM CDT

Lawyer blasted by federal appeals court for forwarding judge email did nothing wrong, state bar says

Corrected: Although blasted by a federal appeals court last year for circulating a congratulatory email from a federal judge, a BigLaw partner did nothing calling for attorney discipline, the California State Bar has determined. Partner Edward Reines of Weil Gotshal & Manges said in an August pro hac vice motion…

Oct 2, 2015 12:55 PM CDT

Genius grant winner studies impact of patent policies on medical research

Among the 24 winners of the MacArthur Foundation’s genius grants this year is an economist at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology who studied how intellectual property rights stifle medical innovation. The grant winner, Heidi Williams, is best known for a study that found granting nonpatent intellectual rights to a private…

Sep 30, 2015 9:45 AM CDT

Sept. 10, 1846: The Sewing Machine Patent War

Sep 1, 2015 12:30 AM CDT

Associate’s detective work helps get case moved from New York to California

An associate who checked out a company’s purported place of business has helped win the transfer of a federal patent case from New York to California. The plaintiff, Israel-based IXI Mobile, had claimed it had a subsidiary in New York City with a principal place of business at the Chrysler…

Aug 10, 2015 12:53 PM CDT

Federal Circuit trims $1.5B patent win, says nothing owed for chips made, used and sold outside US

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit has trimmed a $1.5 billion award for patent infringement in a decision that said there is no liability for products manufactured, used and sold outside the United States. The Federal Circuit trimmed the award to Carnegie Mellon University to $278 million,…

Aug 5, 2015 8:11 AM CDT

Writers blast ‘airline seating from hell’: One calls for law to ban plan detailed in patent filing

A French company’s patent application lays out a way for squeezing more passengers onto airplanes. However, those who might potentially use it aren’t enthused. Among other techniques, the so-called “economy class cabin hexagon” reverses the middle seat and eliminates armrests, according to the Portland Oregonian and USA Today. The headline…

Jul 15, 2015 4:46 PM CDT