All seven partners from Ashurst’s Canberra office are set to transition to Australian firm Thomson Geer. This move follows Ashurst’s decision to reduce its involvement with federal government work in Australia. The shift is anticipated to be finalized by early July, as indicated in a collaborative statement from both firms. To read further details of…
Littler Mendelson PC has resolved a legal dispute with a tech executive who alleged wrongful suspension and termination following what she claimed was the “unlawful” advice from attorneys at Littler. The resolution comes with the dismissal of the case in a New York federal court. This lawsuit underscores the critical importance of legal compliance and…
Steve Madden Ltd. has initiated legal action against Adidas in New York federal court. The lawsuit alleges that Adidas is attempting to monopolize the use of stripes in the athletic apparel and footwear industry. According to Steve Madden, Adidas has been excessively targeting the company over design elements that, according to Madden, do not resemble…
During a recent Senate Judiciary Committee hearing, the Trump administration’s nominee for the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office director addressed concerns over his connections with Fortress Investment Group, a major player in litigation finance. The nominee attempted to downplay these controversial ties while simultaneously expressing concerns about the proliferation of questionable patents being granted. His…
A recent incident in a Florida federal court serves as an essential caution for legal professionals considering the incorporation of artificial intelligence in their work. The court sanctioned two attorneys involved in a shipping contract dispute because their brief included a fabricated case citation generated by AI. The presiding judge emphasized the necessity for lawyers…
Nominees for leading positions at the United States Department of Justice and the Department of Homeland Security recently navigated a series of inquiries from Democratic lawmakers about the Trump administration’s past actions that seemingly disregarded judicial directives. During the session held on Wednesday, apprehension was evident as the nominees were pressed to clarify their commitment…
On Wednesday, Ford Motor Co. initiated legal proceedings against a number of California-based law firms and attorneys, filing a lawsuit in Los Angeles federal court. The suit alleges that these firms and lawyers conspired to defraud major automotive manufacturers by submitting falsely inflated timesheets. This purported scheme is said to involve overcharging clients by more…
The intricacies of the legal proceedings against Tom Girardi’s son-in-law continue to unfold as federal prosecutors argue against limiting the scope of the government’s case. The Chicago federal judge overseeing the client theft trial has been urged to consider the distinction between this case and Tom Girardi’s California trial. Despite the differences in charges, prosecutors…
In a recent hearing, two judges from the Ninth Circuit expressed skepticism about Apple Inc.’s defense against reviving an antitrust lawsuit initiated by AliveCor Inc., a medical monitoring startup. The suit concerns Apple’s decision to restrict third-party access to medical data via the Apple Watch. During the proceedings, one of the judges questioned whether Apple’s…
Tesla Inc. is invoking “national security interests” in its ongoing legal challenge at the Patent Trial and Appeal Board (PTAB) against a digital camera patent that Tesla has been accused of infringing. The company is urging the acting director of the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office to dismiss the patent owner’s efforts to halt the…
In a significant jurisdictional development, a Texas federal judge has transferred a software company’s patent infringement lawsuit against Amazon and its two affiliates to a federal court in California. This procedural decision reflects ongoing considerations around venue appropriateness in patent litigation, particularly involving tech giants like Amazon. Details of the case and the reasoning behind…
An Oregon jury has awarded over $35.5 million to 10 individuals impacted by the devastating 2020 wildfires in the state, marking a significant legal outcome in the ongoing litigation surrounding these events. This verdict includes $5.3 million for economic damages and $30.2 million for non-economic damages, reflecting the severity of the losses endured by the…
The U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC) is set to investigate claims suggesting that Qualcomm Inc. and Nvidia Corp., among others, may be infringing upon a series of electronics patents. This scrutiny revolves around the importation of integrated circuits and electronic devices that could potentially breach intellectual property held by Onesta IP. The outcome of this…
The Federal Trade Commission (FTC), now under Republican leadership, has reiterated its request for pharmaceutical companies such as Teva, Novartis, and Mylan to remove certain patents from the Orange Book, a federal database crucial for managing pharmaceutical patents. The FTC’s call to action is founded on the argument that these patents relate to “devices,” rather…
Ford Motor Co. has initiated a RICO lawsuit against several prominent Los Angeles law firms, alleging that these firms fraudulently inflated legal fees by at least $100 million. The allegations touch upon thousands of cases concerning auto manufacturers, spanning a five-year period. The lawsuit, filed in the US District Court for the Central District of…
A request by DraftKings Inc. to appeal a lower court’s decision in an intellectual property lawsuit was denied by a Pennsylvania judge. The lawsuit accuses DraftKings of using Major League Baseball players’ images without permission. The judge determined that the issues raised in the case are not suitable for an immediate appeal to the Third…
With less than two weeks remaining in the current Texas legislative session, legislators face crucial deadlines that could determine the future of several significant bills. These proposed laws encompass a range of topics, including legal procedure, abortion, and artificial intelligence. The outcome of these legislative efforts remains uncertain, but the impending deadlines will undoubtedly play…
The U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC) is petitioning for a rehearing by the full Federal Circuit concerning its recent decision. The Federal Circuit determined that the ITC was improperly barring domestic expenses related to activities like sales and marketing from qualifying companies to engage in ITC patent cases. The Commission’s request indicates a significant interest…
In a recent call to action, country music star Martina McBride urged U.S. senators to enact legislation that would safeguard individuals against the unauthorized use of their voices and likenesses through artificial intelligence. McBride described the unauthorized replication using AI as “frightening” and “wrong,” emphasizing the need for legal protections to address this growing concern….
A Toronto lawyer, Jisuh Lee, has avoided contempt of court charges after submitting a factum with fabricated AI-generated case citations. This decision comes after the lawyer pledged to enroll in courses on legal ethics and artificial intelligence, as well as forgo billing her client for the work tied to the defective document. Justice Fred Myers…
In the face of a federal hiring freeze, the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) is navigating significant operational constraints. The agency is barred from expanding its team of patent examiners, a critical component in managing its workload. Despite these challenges, the USPTO is implementing various strategies, such as staff reassignments and reward systems, to…
In what could prove a decisive moment in a protracted legal conflict, VLSI Technologies and Intel are set to battle in court once again next week. A Texas federal jury is slated to assess whether Intel holds a legitimate license to VLSI’s patents, a determination that could potentially nullify previous infringement awards in VLSI’s favor….
On May 21, 2025, immigrant advocacy groups lodged an appeal against a decision by a federal judge in Washington, D.C. This decision denied their effort to prevent the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) from sharing taxpayer data with immigration enforcement agencies. The groups’ legal representatives expressed that the urgency of the matter is critical, stating that…
A Democratic representative from Silicon Valley has expressed deep concerns to the acting director of the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) regarding the recent policy changes involving the Patent Trial and Appeal Board (PTAB). The congresswoman highlighted her unease over new protocols granting the USPTO director the ultimate authority on whether patent challenges can…
Chinese company Innoscience has taken action to defend a recent decision by the Patent Trial and Appeal Board (PTAB) against a challenge from a California semiconductor company. The PTAB had previously invalidated one of the semiconductor company’s patents. Innoscience is now urging the acting head of the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office to dismiss the…