More Lawyers Patent their Inventions and Sue, Sometimes Surprising their Firms
Some law firms are apparently being caught “flat-footed” when one of their lawyers files suit to protect his or her own patented invention, according to an article in IP Law and Business.
At least 10 lawyers have filed infringement suits to protect their inventions, and some of them continued to work at big-name law firms during the litigation, the story says. The developments may be surprising some firms that do not require their own lawyers to disclose their patents or their own private lawsuits.
One lawyer, Scott Harris, was bounced from Fish & Richardson after he sold his inventions to patent trolls, one of which sued firm client Google. Fish & Richardson filed a suit that alleged it had an interest in the patents and Harris had worked on them without authorization. The suit settled settled last month.
Other lawyers involved in infringement suits work at Quinn Emanuel Urquhart Oliver & Hedges and Wilmer Cutler Pickering Hale and Dorr. Another worked at Perkins Coie but he has since left the firm.
The story names the three lawyers and describes their lawsuits. Michael Powell of Quinn Emanuel has filed infringement suits against online resume-posting sites, including Monster.com. His patent application was filed soon after law school graduation.
Irah Donner, a Wilmer partner with a degree in electrical engineering, sued over his group of car-entertainment patents that he also sought shortly after law school. He sold the patents after Wilmer learned of the activities.
Paul Hickman was a partner at Perkins Coie when he filed a lawsuit against a fitness company that he claimed infringed his patent for a computerized personal trainer. Hickman no longer works at the firm.
Hat tip to the Am Law Litigation Daily.
