In This Issue:

The End of an Era? The move away from Multidefendant Ligitation and the Eastern District of Texas; and Patent Procurement and Enforcement in China: A Field Guide.

- The End of an Era? The move away from Multidefendant Ligitation and the Eastern District of Texas

Patent holders—especially non-practicing entities, which are typically not tied to particular geographical areas—have long sought to bring patent infringement lawsuits in venues perceived to be plaintiff-friendly. Although the Federal Circuit has issued a series of decisions over the past few years that have made it easier for defendants to seek transfers, patent holders have still been able to resist transfers in certain judicial districts, such as the Eastern District of Texas, by bringing suit against multiple companies from different areas of the country. This strategy makes it difficult for the defendants to identify an alternative venue that is clearly more convenient than the venue chosen by the plaintiff—a requirement for seeking a transfer...

- Patent Procurement and Enforcement in China: A Field Guide

It is difficult to read the world news today and not come across an article (or three) that discusses the increasingly important role that China plays in the world’s economy. Within the past decade, the country that lost the Opium War more than 100 years ago has become the richest country in the world, replaced Japan as the second largest economy, and surpassed Germany as the world’s largest exporter...