Trade secret lawyers commonly assert claims under both the federal Defend Trade Secrets Act (“DTSA”) and the applicable state’s version of the Uniform Trade Secrets Act (“UTSA”). But in doing so, they might overlook differences in the key elements and burdens of proof under those statutes. That can be costly, as shown by the Ninth…

On Tuesday of last week, the Federal Circuit gave Import Global a second chance in district court, reminding practitioners of the importance of careful claim language and a detailed written description. In Socket Solutions, LLC v. Import Global, LLC, the appellate court vacated and remanded a Florida district court’s grant of a preliminary injunction…

In a decisive reversal, the Federal Circuit handed Boston Scientific Corporation a complete victory in Board of Regents of the University of Texas System v. Boston Scientific Corp., vacating a jury verdict that had found Boston Scientific’s drug-eluting coronary stent infringed the University of Texas’s patent for drug-releasing biodegradable fiber implants. The Federal Circuit…

As drag has risen in pop culture, trademark law has become an unlikely topic of conversation. Most recently, on May 27, Pattie Gonia, an internet-famous drag queen and environmental activist, urged her more than 1.8 million social-media followers to ask Patagonia to drop its lawsuit.

Patagonia is a California-based company that makes climbing apparel and…

On October 17, 2025, USPTO Director John Squires issued a memorandum announcing that he would be sole decision-maker for institution of inter partes review (IPR) and post-grant review (PGR) proceedings. In this same memo, Squires stated those decisions would be determined “based on discretionary considerations.” In the time since, Squires has used a series of…

In Hikma Pharmaceuticals USA Inc. v. Amarin Pharma, Inc. (June 4, 2026), a unanimous Supreme Court has further clarified what it takes to plead — and ultimately prove — that a defendant induced another party to infringe a patent, setting a high bar for induced infringement claims. While the case arose in the context of…

A recent precedential Federal Circuit decision further clarifies the limited scope of judicial review over PTAB institution-related rulings, holding that refusal by the Patent Trial and Appeal Board to resolve a disputed real-party-in-interest issue under 35 U.S.C. § 312(a)(2) is unreviewable on appeal. The April 29, 2026, decision in Federal Express Corporation v. Qualcomm Incorporated…