In a recent development in California’s legal circles, a State Bar Judge presiding over the disbarment trial of John Eastman has reportedly been critical of Eastman’s attorney for a pattern of leading question formulation. This happened during his examination of Garland Favorito, who is a founder of VoterGA, an organization dealing with election integrity in…
On Wednesday, a panel of judges from the Ninth Circuit expressed skepticism toward a proposed class action lawsuit against Google. The lawsuit alleges that the tech giant unlawfully gained more than $2 billion from unauthorized advertisements, which allegedly infringed upon the property rights of website owners. The judges posed questions during a hearing challenging the…
In an ongoing patent dispute, an Illinois federal judge has ruled that China’s Hytera Communications must provide the source code for review. The spat arose when Motorola claimed that Hytera unlawfully copied its digital two-way radio technology, thereby infringing on seven of Motorola’s patents. The judge’s decision came about due to the insinuation that Hytera…
In a recent switch up in its legal leadership, Microsoft has promoted two in-house lawyers to defend its proposed $68.7 billion acquisition of Activision Blizzard Inc. The tech giant still faces antitrust challenges from the Federal Trade Commission regarding this procurement. The corporation is banking on the elevated legal leadership to navigate through the regulatory…
A recent legal battle surrounding potential customer confusion in the financial services sector has witnessed an early victory for venture capital-funded personal finance app Empower. In the trademark lawsuit involving the retirement finance brand also named Empower, a federal judge in Colorado ruled that it is “unlikely” that the app’s name would cause confusion among…
Hooters, the well-known restaurant chain, has filed allegations against a California-based franchisee in a Georgia federal court, stating that the franchisee has unlawfully continued to use the brand’s trademarks post the termination of their franchise agreement. According to Hooters, the referred franchisee is in breach of the contract for their failure to adhere to appropriate…
Amid the tumultuous waters of the legal world, cruise line giant, Carnival Corp., recently urged a Delaware bankruptcy judge to dismiss what they deemed a “far-fetched” plea. The plea came as an emergency request from lenders to software company DeCurtis Holdings LLC. According to the contentious plea, the lenders requested a stay on part of…
In a recent development, a federal judge in Oregon has ruled in support of Columbia Sportswear Co. The judge declined to strike certain parts of the company’s complaint against two ex-executives, whose conduct allegedly contravened their non-compete and trade secret agreements. The allegations leveled by the famous outdoor clothing and equipment manufacturer included claims of…
In recent legal developments, a Taiwanese entity has filed a patent lawsuit against tech titan Samsung. The claim revolves around alleged infringement of a patent related to wireless communications technology. The complaint targets a broad spectrum of 4G and 5G Galaxy products manufactured by the South Korean multinational company. Given the ubiquitous nature of Samsung’s…
In a noteworthy piece of legal news, Samsung has managed to evade a $4.3 million patent verdict brought against it by Prisua Engineering Corp. The dispute, which has been ongoing for over half a decade, involves a claim of infringement pertaining to an image-editing patent. The dismissal of the case resulted from a concurrent decision…
As the economic climate continues to pose challenges to technology firms, a number of corporations are exploring ways to trim their expenses. At the forefront of these cost-cutting strategies is the concept of applying a strategic pause in patent prosecution. This strategy may appear counterintuitive at first glance; after all, patenting is typically seen as…
The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) is soliciting opinions from various stakeholders with the aim of refining standard-setting procedures within the United States. A key area of interest is understanding the impact of foreign intellectual property laws on domestic standards. In an effort to create logical and beneficial standards, the USPTO has joined forces…
Amendments to retirement plans for Pennsylvania judges did not infringe upon the state’s constitution. This judgment, based on a set of precedents that are well over three decades old, was ruled by a state appellate court this Wednesday. The basis of this judgment lies in the uncertainty over whether these new retirement plans will ultimately…
An independent film production company has raised a federal lawsuit in California against a disbarred lawyer and others. The company alleges that it was mislead into investing $5 million to finance an action film purportedly starring Mel Gibson. According to a report, the production company asserts that it was conned through the lawyer’s false claims…
In a surprising move, conglomerates DuPont, Chemours and Corteva have recently issued a complaint against the city of Rome, Georgia and two media outlets, in an attempt to keep the particulars of a settlement deal confidential. The settlement in question was achieved in June and concerns allegations of the discharge of potent ‘forever chemicals’ into…
A recent Congressional hearing concerning the ethical aspects of litigation funding has exposed prominent contrasts among party lines. While Republican members were vocal in their criticisms of the industry, suggesting that it hampers other businesses and could pose a risk to national security, their Democrat counterparts largely shrugged off such worries, considering them as non-threatening….
Amidst a growing number of legal challenges inspired by the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision to strike down affirmative action in higher education, McGuireWoods LLP has announced the formation of a new practice team. The team’s mission is to support clients who may find themselves under potential legal scrutiny relative to their diversity, equity, and inclusion…
Thompson Coburn LLP, a leading national law firm, recently announced key changes to its organizational structure. Chris Hohn, having served as the leader of the litigation department, has been named as the firm’s next chair, according to the firm’s latest leadership reshuffle announcement. The reshuffle also saw the induction of a new executive committee member…
In a recent development, the Tenth Circuit has made a split decision that rejects the request for a new trial from a convicted domestic abuser of the Jicarilla Apache Nation. The defendant had argued that his right to a public trial was violated amid the COVID-19 pandemic due to court closure, and the consequent implementation…
Once again, the U.S. Court of Federal Claims has dismissed a persistent lawsuit lodged against the U.S. Army over allegations of that it infringed on two patents related to armored vehicles. An essential point of the court’s consideration was recognizing that the Army had an effective license that allowed it to utilize the patented technology….
In a recent notable shift within the legal industry, the erstwhile head of Stroock & Stroock & Lavan LLP’s trademark practice has opted for a change of platform, bringing his experience and expertise to Norton Rose Fulbright. As the latest partner in their Los Angeles office, the move signifies strengthened capabilities for Norton Rose Fulbright,…
Gibson Dunn & Crutcher LLP, a prominent international law firm, recently revised its criteria for diversity and inclusion scholarships. Prior mentions of these scholarships being awarded specifically to law students who identify as part of an underrepresented group have been excised from their official website. This decision seems to indicate a shift in how the…
Berry Appleman & Leiden LLP, a prominent corporate immigration firm, has recently made a significant stride on the diversity front. In a move that breaks its 43-year tradition, the firm announced on Wednesday that attorney Frieda Garcia will occupy the role of a managing partner. This designation is noteworthy as Garcia is the first woman…
U.S. Senator Peter Welch, having a history as a public defender before serving in Congress, is voicing concerns about potential cuts to the federal public defender system proposed by the House and Senate. Welch, a Democrat representing Vermont, sees these potential cuts as a risk to a “bedrock requirement” of the U.S. judicial system. Notably,…
In a recent development in the pharmaceutical industry, Celltrion Healthcare has appealed to a London court seeking to invalidate a patent owned by Novartis and Genentech. The patent in question pertains to a drug used commonly for the management of severe asthma and chronic hives. Celltrion Healthcare has initiated this legal action as part of…