Intellectual Property Law

Chinese Court Orders Yahoo Fine

A Chinese court has ordered Yahoo Inc. to pay about $27,000 for infringing the copyrights of music companies, the Associated Press reports. The suit brought by a trade group representing recording companies had claimed Yahoo’s search engine improperly links to Web sites posting pirated songs. In a statement, Yahoo vowed…

Apr 24, 2007 2:54 PM CDT

Court Order: Lawyer Billing Records Secret

Under an order filed Friday by a federal judge in Oklahoma, attorney billing records will be kept confidential in ongoing litigation by the Recording Industry Association of America over alleged unauthorized individual Internet use of song files. The detailed billing records need to be kept confidential, explained District Judge Lee…

Apr 16, 2007 10:22 PM CDT

No New Cases for U.S. Supreme Court Today

The U.S. Supreme Court granted no new cases on the merits today. However, the high court asked the U.S. Solicitor General to weigh in with his thoughts on three others involving employee benefits, federal labor law and patent rights, reports SCOTUSblog. A response is expected in time to allow the…

Apr 16, 2007 7:14 PM CDT

Court Denies ‘Lawyers.com’ Trademark

The legal publisher Reed-Elsevier Properties Inc. has lost in its effort to trademark “lawyers.com.”

Apr 12, 2007 8:15 PM CDT

Witnesses Support Fee of $11,000 an Hour

Witnesses defended a lawyer’s request for $11,000 an hour in fees in a trade secret case before a Florida judge yesterday.

Apr 12, 2007 12:57 PM CDT

Today in Legal History: Taxes Die, Statesman Born, Mouse Patented

On this day in 1770, the British government repealed most of the Townsend Acts, which placed import taxes on British products such as lead, paper, paint, glass and tea. Anger over such taxes was one cause of the Revolutionary War. On this day in 1777, Henry Clay, a Virginia lawyer…

Apr 12, 2007 12:11 PM CDT

$100 Million Sanction Sought Against Motorola

The lawyer for a defunct technology company that sued Motorola for stealing trade secrets is seeking a $100 million sanction and $93 million in attorney fees. The plaintiffs’ lawyer, Willie Gary of Stuart, Fla., says sanctions should be imposed because Motorola violated a court order for sequestering witnesses, the Daily…

Apr 11, 2007 12:56 PM CDT

Google Settles Suit, Can Post News Agency Info

Agence France-Presse has agreed to allow Google to use its news and photos in ways that drive traffic to the Paris-based international news agency’s online offerings, the Associated Press reports. This settles a copyright infringement suit filed against Google by AFP in March 2005 that accused the search engine giant…

Apr 10, 2007 5:50 PM CDT

Upping the XX in IP

The estrogen to testosterone ratio among intellectual property lawyers has improved greatly over the last decade or so, but that doesn’t mean the practice isn’t a lonely place for women.

Apr 2, 2007 4:45 AM CDT

Downloading a File of Copyright Woes

Google’s buyout of YouTube shows federal law still lags behind technology

Mar 18, 2007 11:45 AM CDT

Knockoffs Landing on Retail Shelves

Lawsuits claim fake luxury goods are showing up at chain stores

Feb 21, 2007 10:30 AM CST

Next!

What You’ll be Talking About in 2007

Jan 1, 2007 3:54 PM CST

Stating the Obvious

Next Big Issue: Can an Invention Be Denied a Patent ‘Just Because It’s Stupid’?

Oct 24, 2006 10:53 AM CDT

Troll Control

The Supreme Court’s eBay Decision Sets Back Pesky ‘Patent Trolls’ or American Innovation, Depending Upon Which Side You’re On

Sep 24, 2006 8:31 AM CDT

Personalized Prescriptions

Legal Actions Will Help Determine the Success of Using Genetics to Improve Drug Treatments

Sep 24, 2006 7:52 AM CDT