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Expert Analysis

• 'Top Gun' And 'Together' IP Suits Spotlight Similarity Issues

  

  The outcome of recent lawsuits revolving around the films "Top Gun: Maverick" and "Together" may set meaningful precedents for how courts analyze substantial similarity in creative works, say attorneys at Greenspoon Marder.

• Series

  Law School's Missed Lessons: Practicing Self-Care

  

  Law schools don’t teach the mental, physical and emotional health maintenance tools necessary to deal with the profession's many demands, but practicing self-care is an important key to success that can help to improve focus, manage stress and reduce burnout, says Rachel Leonard​​​​​​​ at MG+M.

• ABA Opinion Makes It A Bit Easier To Drop A 'Hot Potato'

  

  The American Bar Association's recent ethics opinion clarifies when attorneys may terminate clients without good cause, though courts may still disqualify a lawyer who drops a client like a hot potato, so sending a closeout letter is always a best practice, say attorneys at Thompson Hine.

• IRhythm IPR Denial Raises Key PTAB Discretion Questions

  

  By giving the passage of time a dispositive role in denying institution of five inter partes review petitions filed by iRhythm Technologies, the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office has upended the strategic considerations for filing and defending against IPRs, disclosing prior art during prosecution, and engaging in licensing negotiations, say attorneys at Dentons.

• Dupes Boom Spurs IP Risks, Opportunities For Investors

  

  The rising popularity of dupe products has created a dynamic marketplace where both dupes-based businesses and established branded companies can thrive, but investors must consider a host of legal implications, especially when the dupes straddle a fine line between imitation and intellectual property infringement, say attorneys at Ropes & Gray.

• Opinion

  IPR Denial In IRhythm Should Not Set A Blanket Rule

  

  Though the Patent Trial and Appeal Board's discretionary denial in iRhythm v. Welch Allyn last month raised concerns that mere knowledge of a patent could bar inter partes review institution, a closer look at the facts and reasoning reveals why this case's holdings should not be reflexively applied to all petitioners, says David McCombs at Haynes Boone.

• Series

  My Opera And Baseball Careers Make Me A Better Lawyer

  

  Though participating in opera and the world of professional baseball often pulls me away from the office, my avocations improve my legal career by helping me perform under scrutiny, prioritize team success, and maintain joy and perspective at work, says Adam Unger at Herrick Feinstein.

• Opinion

  Subject Matter Eligibility Test Should Return To Preemption

  

  Subject matter eligibility has posed challenges for patentees due to courts' arbitrary and confusing reasoning, but adopting a two-part preemption test could align the applicant, the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office and the courts, says Manav Das at McDonnell Boehnen.

• 8 Ways Lawyers Can Protect The Rule Of Law In Their Work

  

  Whether they are concerned with judicial independence, regulatory predictability or client confidence, lawyers can take specific meaningful actions on their own when traditional structures are too slow or too compromised to respond, says Angeli Patel at the Berkeley Center of Law and Business.

• Google Damages Ruling Offers Lessons For Testifying Experts

  

  The Federal Circuit's recent decision in EcoFactor v. Google represents a shift in how courts evaluate expert testimony in patent cases, offering a practical guide for how litigators and testifying experts can refine their work, says Adam Rhoten at Secretariat.

• Series

  Law School's Missed Lessons: Communicating With Clients

  

  Law school curricula often overlook client communication procedures, and those who actively teach this crucial facet of the practice can create exceptional client satisfaction and success, says Patrick Hanson at Wiggam Law.

• Breaking Down Part 3 Of The Copyright Office's AI Report

  

  On May 9, the U.S. Copyright Office published a prepublication version of the third and final part of its three-part report on artificial intelligence, offering key insights on the unauthorized use of copyrighted material by AI systems, says Courtney Sarnow at CM Law.

• Trending At The PTAB: Shifts In Parallel Proceedings Strategy

  

  Dynamics are changing between the Patent Trial and Appeal Board and federal courts, with two recent discretionary denials and one Federal Circuit decision offering takeaways for both patent owners and challengers navigating parallel proceedings, say attorneys at Finnegan.

• Series

  Adapting To Private Practice: From US Rep. To Boutique Firm

  

  My transition from serving as a member of Congress to becoming a partner at a boutique firm has been remarkably smooth, in part because I never stopped exercising my legal muscles, maintained relationships with my former colleagues and set the right tone at the outset, says Mondaire Jones at Friedman Kaplan.

• Discretionary Denial Rulings May Spur Calls For PTAB Reform

  

  The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office's recent decision in iRhythm Technologies v. Welch Allyn, denying inter partes review based on the patent owner's settled expectations that the patent would not be challenged, could motivate patent holders to seek Patent Trial and Appeal Board reform to preserve patent quality without burdening owners, say attorneys at Dechert.