In a recent development, Tucker Ellis LLP has widened its presence in California through a merger with business litigation firm, Connor Fletcher & Hedenkamp LLP. This merger represents a significant strategic move for both firms, as it combines Tucker Ellis’ already extensive legal offerings with the specialized litigation focus offered by Connor Fletcher & Hedenkamp….
In a noteworthy development, an MIT task force specifically designed to develop guidelines and principles on Generative AI’s responsible use for law and legal systems has released preliminary versions of seven principles. These principles aim to ensure factual accuracy, ensure valid legal reasoning, align with professional ethics and diligently use AI responsibly in the legal…
Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools, ranging from text and image generators to music and software code marvelling utilities, have seen a significant proliferation recently. However, their integration with Intellectual Property (IP) has been the subject of intense discussion in legal circles. One of the key focal points of these debates circles around whether works of art…
Last week, the legal scene in London was abuzz with several noteworthy cases. These included a dispute between Hugh James law firm and Berrymans Lace Mawer LLP, a patent claim by Panasonic against Chinese companies Xiaomi and Oppo, and collapsed law firm Carillion’s lawsuit against the U.K. government and three partners from PwC. Hugh James,…
In a prominent copyright case, the 9th Circuit Court’s Server Test has come under question, intensifying noteworthy debates within the legal profession. The case, Alexis Hunley, et al v. Instagram, LLC, seeks to scrutinize the breadth and legitimacy of this doctrine widely established by the 9th Circuit and subsequently challenged by various courts. The Server…
The issue of counterfeit goods is typically associated with high-end luxury fashion labels like Prada, Louis Vuitton, Gucci, Hermes, and the like. Public perception often holds that these counterfeit products are peddled in shady alleyways or on suspicious websites, easy to spot and avoid for the discerning consumer. However, as a recent analysis by Rivkin…
Artificial Intelligence (AI) has sparked significant interest and witnessed rapid growth, thereby becoming a vital focus of technology transactions. Remarkably, the inherent standard acquisition agreement seems not to have matched the pace and demand of AI companies. These modern tech entities pose unique risks to potential buyers, risks that a standard transaction approach may fail…
Artificial Intelligence (AI) is rapidly producing an increasing number of generative AI products that are becoming commercialized on the market. These offerings demand a balance between swift implementation, technical competencies, and significant financial and legal deliberations for corporates seeking to integrate these solutions into their existing systems. Technology providers are concurrently pushing the boundaries of…
A federal judge in California has halted a Los Angeles tattoo ink dealer from selling ink bottles, amidst claims that the products bear too much resemblance to those of a New Jersey company. The dealer, who is the purveyor of the “Xtreme Ink” brand, has been criticized by the court for not mounting a stronger…
In a recent development in the world of patent litigation, camera manufacturer GoPro Inc. managed to quash the effort for a retrial over a high-stakes patent infringement lawsuit. The dispute was raised by an inventor who insisted that he was the first to initiate the concept of taking 360-degree photographs. The lawsuit, presided over by…
Adding to the ever-growing list of Intellectual Property disputes, a recent judgement by a California federal judge has imposed a penalty of $2.2 million on a Chinese company engaged in the trade of shopping carts via Amazon and Walmart. The company stands not only accused but also found guilty of patent violation, and the severity…
An Australian company was recently awarded nearly $8.5 million by a Colorado federal judge for a startup’s ‘flagrant’ theft of intellectual property. The conflict arose over the ownership of a patented air conditioning technology. Not only did the startup continue to market the product as its own throughout the litigation, but it also attempted to…
Another legal action surfaces from the realm of social media, this time involving renowned supermodel Bella Hadid. It’s a territory that is increasingly fraught with copyright disputes, the latest of which accuses Hadid of infringing upon a company’s copyright with an image of herself posted on Instagram. The suit against Hadid is not an isolated…
Lordstown Motors, the bankrupt electric automaker, revealed to a Delaware judge that it had received expressions of interest from 13 potential bidders as part of its Chapter 11 sale process. Despite a forthcoming trial over trade secret claims, which has undoubtedly caused estrangement amongst some potential suitors, the judge approved the majority of Lordstown’s proposed…
With the rise of the legal cannabis industry, businesses seeking to out-perform their competition are investing time and money into perfecting their grow processes or creating unique cannabis extracts. These competitive advantages are investments that businesses need to protect. At the heart of this protection lie the trade secrets that give these companies an edge…
In a bid to offer essential clarification and guidance, representatives from the Copyright Office revealed insights during a June 2023 webinar regarding the registration process for works that include material generated through artificial intelligence (AI). These clarifications arrive following the office’s initial guidance shared in March 2023 concerning “Works Containing Material Generated by Artificial Intelligence”….
Borden Ladner Gervais (BLG) has recently appointed former in-house counsel at an insurance company, Rick Da Costa, as the head of its national corporate and regulatory insurance and reinsurance team. Da Costa, who joins from the law firm Cassels Brock & Blackwell, brings to the team his rich in-house experience from his time as VP…
In a recent development, the US Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit addressed contributory trademark infringement for the first time, determining that specific knowledge is needed for liability to be assumed. The case in question is Y.Y.G.M. SA, DBA Brandy Melville v. Redbubble, Inc., Case Nos. 21-56150; -56236 (9th Cir. July 24, 2023), presided…
Pima Community College District has instigated legal action for copyright infringement and breach of employment contract against a former instructor. The ex-teacher continued to release online unauthorized recordings of students, including minors, participating in class activities, even after refusing to erase them. The details of the complaint, which originated on Law.com Radar, were outlined on…
When it comes to establishing commercial presence in the market, businesses are typically diligent with safeguarding their corporate identity and branding. However, it seems that equal attention might not often extend to the protection of their product designs and packaging. According to an article by Vondran Legal on JD Supra, businesses might frequently overlook the…
The Federal Circuit recently overturned a Patent Trial and Appeal Board (“Board”) decision, which had declared certain claims of Sanofi-Aventis’ ‘614 patent as evidently unpatentable. This significant move indicates the ongoing dynamism and challenges surrounding legal decision-making in the world of intellectual property. [Read more here.] The patent under examination was owned by Sanofi-Aventis Deutschlan…
Legal professionals worldwide must keep an attentive eye on the ongoing saga of 96-year-old Federal Circuit Judge, Pauline Newman. Currently subjected to a competency investigation, Judge Newman made headlines once again as she openly criticized the current patent eligibility law as “unnecessary and confusing” while raising questions about its divergence from its “historical purpose”. In…
In a noteworthy development from the world of law, Osler, a leading Canadian law firm, has appointed a new co-chair from its Toronto Mergers and Acquisitions (M&A) division. Notably, alongside this significant change, the firm has also welcomed new partners into its Intellectual Property (IP) and real estate divisions, showing a clear commitment to expansion…
In a recent presentation at Daybreak Labs, Kilpatrick Townsend’s Yifan Mao, MSc, and Joseph Snyder, Ph.D., JD, discussed the importance of a cost-effective patent strategy for startups. These discussions delve into intellectual property protection for startups and also broach the subject of patents and trade secrets. The presentation touched on the high-level overview of patent…
In a decision bound to affect a significant number of global enterprises and law firms working with cryptocurrencies, The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) has clarified that stakers should include the value of any rewards earned from staking in their gross income. This ruling was released in Revenue Ruling 2023-14 on July 31, 2023. Specifically, it…