Palm Restaurant Dispute Leads to Big Monetary Damages

By Kirk M. Hartung

A lawsuit filed in New York State court in 2012 on behalf of minority shareholders of the famous Palm Restaurant has a recent court decision awarding over $71 million to the plaintiffs against defendants for breach of fiduciary duty. This dispute among family members is premised upon 54 undervalued intellectual property licenses and a reasonable […]

Coffee by Drone Delivery

By Kirk M. Hartung

The use of drones in various business applications is becoming common. For example, drones with cameras are used to inspect farm crops, to search natural disaster areas, to provide news coverage,  and to make Hollywood films.  Historical business are being reinvented and new businesses are being developed by the use of these unmanned aerial vehicles. […]

Autel Robotics Co. Escalates Dispute with Largest Manufacturer of Hobbyist and Commercial Drones, SZ DJI Technology Co. (of China)

By Gregory Lars Gunnerson

SZ DJI Technology Co. could lose access to the U.S. market in a patent-infringement lawsuit with Autel Robotics Co. where Autel asserts SZ DJI infringes U.S. Patent Nos.7,979,174 and 9,260,184, which cover rotor attachment and speed changes, and SZ DJI asserts Autel infringes at least U.S. Patent Nos.9,016,617; 9,284,049; 9,321,530; D691,514;9,284,040 and 9,592,744, which cover […]

PTAB Makes Broadest Interpretation on Estoppel in IPRs

Drafting post grant proceeding petitions needs to be done carefully due to their limited space. Last week, the Patent Trial and Appeal Board (PTAB) further increased the pressure to use the limited number of words effectively when Kingston Technology Company, Inc. v. Spex Technologies, Inc. (Case IPR2018-01002) was entered. Kingston, the petitioner, attempted to file […]

Toe Caps, Stripes, and Bumpers: Federal Circuit Revives Converse Sneaker Dispute

By Nicholas J. Krob

While Christian Louboutin has shown that trademark rights may extend to colors used on a shoe, can the design of a shoe itself also be protected? As the Federal Circuit made clear last week, the answer is yes. For years, sneaker giant Converse, Inc. has sought to protect its brand by claiming trademark rights in […]