The United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit affirmed the Patent Trial and Appeal Board’s (PTAB) decision not to nullify claims in two fuel injection patents held by Westport Fuel Systems Canada Inc. This ruling upheld the PTAB’s earlier finding that neither Mercedes-Benz nor an unnamed engineering company sufficiently demonstrated the patents’ obviousness….
A patent owner and a trademark owner walk into court with the same request: stop the infringement before it causes harm that money cannot repair. Despite the seemingly similar aim, the legal pathways they must navigate differ significantly, revealing a widening chasm between patent and trademark law concerning irreparable harm. In the realm of patent…
In the fiscal year 2026, Medtronic’s General Counsel, Ivan Fong, received total compensation amounting to $6.7 million. This substantial remuneration places him among the well-compensated leaders in the legal departments of major corporations. His compensation package included a base salary, performance-based bonuses, stock awards, and other incentives designed to align his interests with the company’s…
In the ever-evolving landscape of intellectual property law, Steptoe LLP partner Robert Kappers has emerged as a formidable presence. Recently, Kappers was instrumental in reviving a previously dismissed infringement case for Express Mobile against GoDaddy, leading to a substantial $170 million jury award. This achievement has not gone unnoticed; Kappers has been recognized by Law360…
The U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC) has initiated an investigation following allegations made by a California-based transformer manufacturer. The company asserts that an Indian competitor unlawfully acquired trade secrets, which were allegedly used to expedite market entry into the United States. Alongside these claims, the accusations extend to false advertising and trademark infringement issues (Law360)….
Ministry Brands, an organization renowned for its faith-based software solutions, has announced the appointment of a new General Counsel as part of its strategic efforts to amplify its artificial intelligence capabilities. This move comes amid a growing trend among technology companies to integrate AI into their operations, reflecting an industry-wide shift towards more intelligent and…
Baker McKenzie has bolstered its commercial practice group with the return of a seasoned partner, who rejoined the firm in Dallas after nearly a decade of in-house work at Jack Daniel’s Properties Inc. This strategic move aims to enhance Baker McKenzie’s intellectual property capabilities, drawing on the attorney’s extensive experience and insight gained during his…
In a notable development within the legal industry, Baker McKenzie has welcomed back a seasoned intellectual property attorney who previously managed legal affairs for the iconic whiskey brand Jack Daniel’s. Jennifer L. Kenedy’s return to the firm’s Dallas office comes after several years of serving as an in-house counsel at Brown-Forman, the parent company of…
Altria Group Inc. has brought a constitutional challenge against the U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC) before the Fourth Circuit, arguing that the agency lacks the authority to resolve private patent disputes and to restrict the importation and sale of products allegedly infringing on patents. This legal maneuver comes in response to a patent case initiated…
The U.S. Department of the Interior (DOI) has agreed to pay $20,000 to the stewards of the “Peanuts” television and film music catalog. This settlement resolves allegations that the government improperly used music from “A Charlie Brown Christmas” on its social media without permission. The agreement was disclosed on Monday, highlighting a noteworthy resolution in…
Moderna Inc. and Arbutus Biopharma Corp. have reached a settlement in their patent dispute over lipid nanoparticle (LNP) technology used in Moderna’s COVID-19 vaccines. The agreement, announced on March 3, 2026, involves a payment of up to $2.25 billion from Moderna to Arbutus and its partner, Genevant Sciences. Under the terms of the settlement, Moderna…
In a significant legal development, the tech giant Apple is embroiled in a derivative lawsuit filed by shareholders who allege that company executives and directors have misused copyrighted materials to advance Apple’s artificial intelligence services. The accusations suggest that Apple’s leadership knowingly adopted a business strategy that risked litigation from copyright holders, as detailed in…
The United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) recently urged the Federal Circuit to uphold the rejection of a Sanofi patent application based on the principle of double patenting. The case highlights a contentious area within patent law, as USPTO Director John Squires has called for a reexamination of the underlying policy rationale. This dichotomy…
In a recent development in the Northern District of Texas, a federal magistrate judge advised narrowing the legal proceedings in a patent infringement case between Intellectual Ventures and Southwest Airlines. The recommendation involves the dismissal of one patent claim put forth by Intellectual Ventures, significantly recalibrating the scope of the lawsuit. This move also involves…
A significant dispute has emerged within the medical technology sector, centering on the timeliness of trade secret claims. This issue arose after a Federal Circuit panel invalidated Insulet Corp.’s substantial trade secret victory against EOFlow Co. Ltd. The panel’s decision overturned a jury verdict initially amounting to $452 million, later reduced to $59.4 million, due…
The challenge of counterfeit goods in the e-commerce market has emerged as a significant legal battlefront for major brands, with a recent case involving NASCAR illustrating the complexities. A federal judge in North Carolina addressed the issue by blocking international retailers from selling counterfeit NASCAR merchandise online. However, the court refrained from completely shutting down…
In a significant development at the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO), Director John Squires has issued a decision concerning four petitions for review under the America Invents Act (AIA). In his latest order, Squires granted just one of these petitions while denying the other three. The granted review will allow for an in-depth examination…
After years of litigation, a Puerto Rican doctor is actively pursuing nearly $10 million in attorney fees following a significant legal victory in the Third Circuit. The case, which initially began in 2014 in a New Jersey federal court, involved copyright infringement claims brought against him by the American Board of Internal Medicine (ABIM). This…
Nicholas Evoy, a partner at Covington & Burling LLP, is quickly establishing himself as a formidable force in the legal domain. Recently, he played a pivotal role in assisting AbbVie Inc. in its defense against attempts to introduce generic versions of its flagship immunosuppressant drug. This case highlights Evoy’s adeptness at handling complex pharmaceutical patent…
In the first half of 2026, law firms have experienced notable growth in both revenue and demand, reflecting a robust recovery from previous economic fluctuations. This period marked a significant upswing, driven by a surge in corporate transactions, litigation cases, and heightened activity in sectors such as technology and healthcare. According to a recent analysis,…
Recent developments have substantiated longstanding suspicions within the bookselling community about the fate of rare books acquired in bulk purchases by tech companies. It has been confirmed that Amazon is implicated in this narrative, using rare books as part of their AI training initiatives. An investigation by 404 Media exposes how an AirTag placed within…
The legal landscape of intellectual property was notably shaped by the U.S. Supreme Court ruling in Jack Daniel’s Properties Inc. v. VIP Products Inc., which came down in 2023. This case set a significant precedent by limiting the Rogers defense, a First Amendment-based argument previously available in trademark infringement disputes. The Rogers test, originating from…
Rebel Creamery, a known player in the keto-friendly ice cream market, has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in Utah. This development follows a significant financial setback from a trademark lawsuit brought by Van Leeuwen, a competing ice cream company. The legal dispute culminated in a $24 million judgment against Rebel Creamery, a financial blow…
Securing a fresh round of funding is a critical milestone for tech startups, often accompanied by new expectations and pressures. While the influx of capital provides an opportunity to scale operations and advance innovations, it also introduces heightened investor scrutiny and market competition. In this context, reassessing and fine-tuning your patent strategy becomes essential to…
Former Deputy Director of the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO), Coke Morgan Stewart, has stepped into a prominent role in intellectual property advocacy. Stewart has been appointed as CEO and president of the Council for Innovation Promotion, taking the reins of the group responsible for advancing IP rights and innovation-related policies in Washington, D.C….