Not Rocket Science: NYC Atty’s Business Method Patent Lowers Satellite Investment Risk

Apr 1, 2012 9:40 AM CDT

Supreme Court Orders Federal Circuit to Reconsider Ruling Allowing Gene Patents

The U.S. Supreme Court has ordered reconsideration of an appellate decision allowing patents on isolated human genes. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit was told to reconsider based on Mayo Collaborative Services v. Prometheus Laboratories Inc., a Supreme Court decision last week that struck down a lab’s…

Mar 27, 2012 12:44 PM CDT

Citing a Need to Encourage Scientific Discovery, Supreme Court Strikes Down Lab’s Patents

The U.S. Supreme Court has ruled for Mayo Clinic in its challenge to a competitor’s patents on blood test methods to determine correct drug dosages. In a unanimous opinion (PDF), the court said the patents held by Prometheus Laboratories Inc. are invalid because they are based on laws of nature.…

Mar 20, 2012 3:21 PM CDT

Judge Boots Feinberg Day from Patent Case, Says Even ‘Collective Lobotomy’ Wouldn’t Resolve Conflict

A former team of DLA Piper attorneys now working at Feinberg Day on a major patent matter is going to have to find a new assignment. A federal judge in San Francisco says the firm must “phase itself out promptly” from working on Talon Research v. Toshiba. Now representing Talon…

Feb 28, 2012 11:51 PM CST

Honeywell Hits Rival Thermostat Company Founded by iPod Developer with Patent Infringement Action

Honeywell filed a patent infringement lawsuit today against Nest Labs, a company founded by iPod developer Tony Fadell, which offers thermostats that automatically turn down heating and cooling when no one is home. The complaint, filed in United States District Court for the District of Minnesota, alleges that Nest Lab…

Feb 6, 2012 7:41 PM CST

Claiming Conflict, Google Seeks Pepper Hamilton’s Disqualification in New Client’s Patent Case

Contending that Pepper Hamilton’s representation of a new tech client creates a conflict that it was never informed about, Google Inc. is seeking to disqualify the law firm from continuing to represent Digitude Innovations LLC in patent infringement matters. The law firm has done work for Google, starting in 2008,…

Jan 31, 2012 8:11 PM CST

6 Dorsey Patent Lawyers Including Local Chief Head to Winthrop Weinstine to Start New Practice Group

A Minneapolis law firm has made a big splash by jumping into the patent arena with a six-lawyer team from Dorsey & Whitney, including the local chief of that firm’s patent practice group. Devan Padmanabhan will now head the new patent practice group at Winthrop & Weinstine, reports the Star…

Jan 31, 2012 6:08 PM CST

Fed’l Judge OKs Suit Over Alleged Cut-and-Paste Patent Work by Ropes & Gray Ex-Partner

A federal judge in Massachusetts has given a former client of Ropes & Gray the green light to proceed with a malpractice suit over claimed cut-and-paste work done on patent applications by a former partner whose company billed Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory about $10,000 for its work. Cold Spring contends…

Jan 18, 2012 12:16 AM CST

Justice Breyer Participates in Medical Patent Case After His Wife Quickly Sells Stock

Thanks to a last-minute stock sale by his wife, Justice Stephen G. Breyer participated in oral arguments on Wednesday in a case that considers whether companies may patent a procedure used in personalized medicine. The company seeking to defend its patent, Prometheus Laboratories, waited until Tuesday to disclose in a…

Dec 8, 2011 5:12 PM CST

Cut-and-Paste Reveals Redacted Info on Apple Smartphone Market in Federal Judge’s Opinion

A federal judge’s opinion in Apple’s patent infringement suit against Samsung Electronics was formatted in a way that exposed redacted information. The mistaken revelation in the opinion issued Friday by U.S. District Judge Lucy Koh discussed Apple studies showing its customers are unlikely to switch to Samsung’s Android devices, Reuters…

Dec 6, 2011 1:08 PM CST

Taking the Pledge: Venture Capitalist Pushes Software Patent Pledge to Protect Small Companies

Dec 1, 2011 10:10 AM CST

A New Mother of Invention: After Years of Setbacks, Patent Reform Finally Makes It Through

Dec 1, 2011 9:39 AM CST

Patents and Patients: Personalized Medicine Is at the Heart of High Court Case

Dec 1, 2011 9:30 AM CST

Pick a Side: In Brand-Name vs. Generic Drug War, Firms Must Choose

Dec 1, 2011 8:40 AM CST

Winston Adds 2 IP Partners from Dickstein Shapiro; Alfred Fabricant Will Head NY Practice Group

Winston & Strawn is adding two more lawyers to its intellectual property practice group, announcing today that the firm is bringing in partners Alfred Fabricant and Lawrence Drucker as partners from Dickstein Shapiro. Fabricant will head the IP practice group in New York City. “Fred and Larry bring enormous talent…

Oct 31, 2011 7:04 PM CDT