Williams Mullen's Trending Now - An IP Podcast - Intellectual Contracts
Protecting IP Through Employment Law
For nearly all companies, but particularly companies in the technology sector, the intellectual property ("IP") they create are the crown jewels of the business. Without the IP, the company has nothing to sell....more
An Illinois federal district court granted partial summary judgment in a trademark dispute against Ledo Pizza System, Inc. (“System”) and Ledo Pizza Carryouts, Ltd. (“Carryouts”), a franchisor of pizza restaurants...more
In a split opinion issued Tuesday, and based on language in an assignment clause of a contract, the Federal Circuit overturned a district court's summary judgment that Core Optical lacked standing to sue Nokia, Cisco, and...more
The US Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit reversed a district court’s decision in a patent dispute for a lack of subject matter jurisdiction because the plaintiff lacked constitutional and statutory standing....more
In today's extremely rich material environment, many consumers choose goods not only based on simple cost performance to decide, but are willing to pay for creativity and brand value recognition. Consumer choice trends...more
For the high-growth startups we represent (and into which our venture capital clients invest), intellectual property (IP) is typically the core asset driving the company’s value. Ensuring that the company’s IP is properly...more
On the latest episode of Williams Mullen's Trending Now - An IP Podcast, Amy Pruett is joined by Janet Cho and Ed White to discuss approaches to IP-related agreements during a pandemic....more
As businesses consider how to transition to a "new normal," a thorough review of intellectual property (IP) assets and a protocol for managing those assets should be part of the planning process. For many companies, the...more
Suppose that you have an assignment of a copyright or a security agreement for a copyright. Are you required to record this assignment or security agreement against the copyright registration? Should you record this...more
1980 was a momentous year. Not only was it the year in which the Rubik’s Cube was first released, it was also when approximately 350 million people worldwide finally learned who shot J.R. on TV’s “Dallas” (spoiler alert: it...more
Back to Basics: A Primer on Intellectual Property Rights in Video Games - In this series, we discuss some of the fundamental concepts of intellectual property law as they relate specifically to video game companies and...more
On this week’s episode, George Summerfield and Kelly Plummer explore five key questions academic medical centers often face with respect to patent ownership and enforcement. Their discussion covers a number of issues,...more
The Second Circuit issued a remarkable decision on termination rights under Sections 203 and 304(c) of the Copyright Act that seemingly, whether knowingly or otherwise, limits the Act’s extraterritorial reach. Ennio Morricone...more
As we previously reported, following the Federal Circuit’s ruling in St. Regis Mohawk Tribe v. Mylan that “tribal immunity cannot be asserted in IPRs,” Allergan and the Tribe petitioned for rehearing en banc. The petition was...more
Intellectual property assets are the lifeblood of many businesses today. No employer wants to see those assets walk out the door when an employee leaves. Employee invention assignment agreements are one crucial tool for...more
In a highly anticipated decision on the Saint Regis Mohawk Tribe’s motion to terminate inter partes review proceedings, the Patent Trial and Appeal Board rejected tribal sovereign immunity to IPRs. The PTAB’s decision also...more
In a case that has received significant attention over the past several months, a United States Patent Trial and Appeal Board (PTAB) panel recently concluded that the Saint Regis Mohawk Tribe’s claim of tribal immunity did...more
Hint: The standard employment agreement you have been using that includes an assignment of IP provision might not be sufficient. - In the United States, employers don’t own an employee’s or consultant’s inventions unless...more
This handout provides an entry level discussion of intellectual property and sets out IP action steps. TABLE OF CONTENTS - Introduction - Trademarks - Copyrights - Patents - Trade Secrets - Keep Attorneys From...more
Are you starting a new company or business venture? Launching an exciting new product or expanding into a new business line? Congratulations. Just remember, if you wind up with a high-growth opportunity, it can often pay big...more
Physicians are well-positioned to generate new inventions and thereby improve the treatment of their patients. As a result, physicians have historically been some of the best and most active inventors in the United States. ...more
In This Presentation: Overview of Messes to Avoid: • Split Ownership • Agreements to Agree • Agreements with Unclear/Improper: – relation to prior agreements – term – royalty rate – execution ...more
As a leader of a start-up company, you are probably aware of the importance of protecting your company’s innovative products, services and technologies through patent filings. If you are savvy, you are also aware of the...more