Tagged: Patent

Patent Litigators: Be Careful What You Plead

Last month, in a sua sponte Memorandum Order in Technology Licensing Corp. v. Pelco, Inc., 11-cv-8544 (N.D. Ill. Mar. 5, 2012), Senior U.S. District Court Judge Milton I. Shadur recently took defendant to task for its answer and counterclaim. In paragraphs 3, 5 and 6 of its answer defendant pled the boilerplate language that it was without knowledge or information sufficient to form a belief about the truth of the allegations of paragraph [ ] and therefore denies those allegations.” Judge Shadur rebuked defendant for this latter clause, stating it was “oxymoronic” that a party could assert in good faith that it did not have enough information to form a belief about an allegation, and then proceed to deny it.

Patent Litigation at the ITC: Views from the Government, In-House Attorneys and Outside Counsel

On April 26, the Gibbons Institute of Law, Science & Technology, Seton Hall University School of Law, and the New Jersey Intellectual Property Law Association will present, “Patent Litigation at the ITC: Views from the Government, In-House Attorneys and Outside Counsel.” Throughout the afternoon, two panels comprised of various government officials and in-house counsel will come together to share their views on patent litigation and how it is approached in their specific practice areas.

Supreme Court Affirms Kappos v. Hyatt, Paving the Way for New Evidence and Expansive Review of Patent Applications

Yesterday, in a unanimous decision, Kappos v. Hyatt, the Supreme Court affirmed a ruling of the Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit holding that in a civil action under 35 U.S.C. § 145, a patent applicant has the right to present new evidence to the District Court regardless of whether that evidence previously was or could have been presented during the proceedings before the PTO. Further, when such new evidence is presented, the District Court must review any related factual conclusions affected by the new evidence de novo, without giving deference to any prior decision or finding of the PTO.

Patent Office Introduces After Final Consideration Pilot

On April 2, 2012, the United States Patent and Trademark Office announced the implementation of a new After Final Consideration Pilot. The AFCP will allow an examiner to consider and enter amendments submitted after a final rejection that will require new searching by the examiner. For a long time the Patent Office has been monitoring the length of time that applications have been pending and the increasing number of applications filed. The Patent Office has proposed numerous solutions that attempt to bend the application curve, including accelerated examination, pre-appeal brief conferences, and limiting the number of requests for continued examinations and continuation applications. The AFCP is another effort that has the potential to help reduce the application volume.

Robert E. Rudnick to Speak at Joint Patent Practice Seminar on April 17

Robert E. Rudnick, a Director in the Gibbons Intellectual Property Department, will be speaking at the Annual Joint Patent Practice Seminar on April 17, 2012, at the New York Marriott Marquis on the Federal Circuit’s decision in General Protecht Group, Inc. v. Leviton Mfg. Co., Inc. The case involved a forum selection clause in a patent settlement agreement.

CAFC Chief Judge Rader on Curbing E-Discovery, Part II

In succession to remarks he made this past Fall about the soaring costs of electronic discovery in IP cases and unveiling the Model Order Regarding E-Discovery in Patent Cases, Federal Circuit Chief Judge Randall Rader recently told the ABA Section of IP Law that both the bar and the bench together, must continue to rein in the high costs of e-discovery. Chief Judge Rader suggested that attorneys’ need to limit their e-discovery requests and courts should consider implementing rules to facilitate efficient and cost effective discovery, as many have begun to do.

Gibbons Welcomes Charles H. Chevalier, Esq.

Gibbons is pleased to announce that Charles H. Chevalier, Esq. has joined the firm as an Associate in the Intellectual Property Department. He will reside in Gibbons Newark office. Prior to joining Gibbons, Charles was an attorney at Fitzpatrick, Cella, Harper & Scinto, where he focused his practice on complex patent litigation. Charles received his J.D., cum laude, from Seton Hall University School of Law and his B.A., in Biochemistry, from Swarthmore College.

Federal Circuit to Revisit Myriad after Mayo Decision

On Monday, the United States Supreme Court granted certiorari in the well-publicized Assn. For Molecular Pathology v. Myriad Genetics, et al. case (“Myriad”) for the purpose of vacating the underlying Federal Circuit decision — finding isolated DNA sequences from human genes as patentable subject matter — and remanding the case for reconsideration in view of its recent ruling in Mayo Collaborative Services, et al. v. Prometheus Laboratories, Inc. (“Mayo”).

Zoltek Corp. v. U.S.: Federal Circuit En Banc Reverses Zoltek III and Rules That 28 U.S.C. § 1498(a) Can Waive Immunity for Infringement Under 271(g)

The Federal Circuit recently demonstrated how active the Court is, and will continue to be. After having ruled in Zoltek III that the United States did not waive immunity from suit except for acts that would constitute direct infringement under 35 U.S.C. § 271(a), the Court voted sua sponte to reconsider the question en banc.