Frequent Trademark and Copyright Law Blog contributor Peter Sullivan has written about some pretty fun topics, including Sponge Bob trademarks and Grumpy Cat copyrights. But when he’s not having fun, he’s also a patent lawyer. Check out his recent article on trends in patent litigation for the International Bar Association: The Impact of inter partes review on patent rights and patent litigation in the United States.… More
Tag Archives: patent
Should Patent and Trademark Applicants Be Required To Pay USPTO Attorneys’ Fees?
The Federal Circuit just issued its en banc decision in Nantkwest v. Iancu, concluding that the proper statutory construction of Section 145 of the patent statute, which allows patent applicants to file actions in a federal district court to challenge the denial of patent applications by the Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO), does not require the challengers to pay the USPTO’s attorneys’ fees.… More
Sue-per Bowl Shuffle IV: The Year In NFL-Related Intellectual Property Litigation
If you are a lawyer, there is a serious danger that someone at the Super Bowl party you attend is going to want to talk about an NFL-related legal issue. Did Cowboys owner Jerry Jones really have standing to challenge Commissioner Roger Goodell’s salary package? What is the status of Colin Kaepernick’s collusion lawsuit?… More
Are False Accusations Of Copyright Infringement Defamatory?
Is it defamatory to falsely accuse someone of infringing intellectual property? Last month, the California Court of Appeal, in FilmOn.com v. DoubleVerify, Inc., affirmed the dismissal of a defamation action in which the defendant was accused of falsely labeling the plaintiff as a copyright infringer.
Does that mean you can just go ahead and call anyone you don’t like a copyright infringer,… More
Court Issues Temporary Restraining Order Against Invention Patenting and Promotion Company for Unfair and Deceptive Trade Practices
There are many businesses focused on helping inventors develop and monetize their ideas. There are companies that, for instance, help people seek patents on their inventions, license their inventions, turn their ideas into tangible products, and promote those products. World Patent Marketing in Florida bills itself as one of those companies. But according to a complaint filed by the Federal Trade Commission this month,… More
Sue-per Bowl Shuffle III: The Year In NFL-Related Intellectual Property Litigation
Two years ago, I started worrying about what would happen if someone at a Super Bowl party asked me to explain an NFL-related lawsuit, particularly one of those intellectual property lawsuits that sports fans assume IP lawyers know about. This anxiety led me to put together the Sue-per Bowl Shuffle I and Sue-per Bowl Shuffle II: guides to trademark, copyright, patent and other intellectual property disputes concerning the NFL during 2014 and 2015 respectively.… More
Ninth Circuit Extends Octane Fitness Attorneys’ Fee Analysis To Lanham Act Cases
In the 2014 case of Octane Fitness, LLC v. Icon Health & Fitness, Inc. (and a companion case), the Supreme Court articulated a standard for courts to use when deciding whether to award attorneys’ fees in patent cases. As we reported here, Section 285 of the Patent Act authorizes an award of attorneys’ fees to the prevailing party in “exceptional” cases.… More