Intellectual Property
Patents, trademarks, copyright, trade secrets, and IP litigation
Delaware Judge Highlights Counsel’s Integrity in Patent Suit Ruling
Judge Jennifer Choe-Groves praised counsel’s candor and responsibility in the August 2026 patent case Disruptive Resources v. Ballistic Barrier.
Federal Circuit Limits Provisional Patents as Prior Art in Dental Patent Case
Federal Circuit rules provisional patents require written-description support to count as prior art, impacting patent litigation and prosecution strategies.
Judge OKs AI Training on Lawful Books; $1.5B Settlement for Pirated Copies
US court rules AI training on legally bought books is fair use; $1.5B settles copyright suits over pirated content. FTC probes AI firms destroying books.
Streamers Sue Twitch, Amazon Over AI Training Use of Content
A class action lawsuit alleges Twitch and Amazon used streamers’ content to train AI without consent or compensation, raising key IP and liability issues.
Ex-Google Engineer Acquitted of Economic Espionage Charges
Linwei Ding’s conviction on economic espionage counts was overturned, highlighting legal challenges in AI trade secret cases.
Buc-ee’s sued Beaver’s Mini Mart over logo similarity on July 28, 2026
Buc-ee’s filed a trademark lawsuit against Beaver’s Mini Mart in Ohio, sparking vandalism, political reactions, and community fundraising efforts.
Federal Circuit Tightens Rules on Patent Injunctions Before Trial
The Federal Circuit vacated a preliminary patent injunction in the Socket Solutions case, signaling stricter standards for granting pre-trial relief in patent disputes.
Supreme Court to Hear Case Challenging Key Trademark Consent Rules
The Supreme Court will review a pivotal trademark case impacting consent and personal rights in IP law, following landmark earlier decisions.
Buc-ee's Files Suit Against Mickey's Over Moose Logo Trademark
Buc-ee's sued Mickey's in February 2026 for moose mascot trademark infringement, continuing its aggressive brand protection strategy.
Trade Secret Lawsuits Soar, Patent Strategies Face New Scrutiny
Trade secret cases in the U.S. hit record levels in 2025, pushing legal teams to reexamine patent vs trade secret approaches amid rising AI disputes.
Rippling Files AI IP Countersuit Against Runlayer in Latest Legal Clash
Rippling has countersued Runlayer, alleging unlawful use of its decade-old AI technology in a key intellectual property dispute.
2024 Court Ruling Extends eBay Framework to Preliminary Patent Injunctions
A 2024 federal appellate decision applies the eBay test to preliminary patent injunctions, impacting patent litigation strategy and enforcement.
Illinois Federal Court Advances Trade Secret Claims in Big League Chew Case
Illinois federal court allows trade secret claims against former Ford Gum execs over Big League Chew confidential data, impacting IP risk management.
Suno to Launch AI Music Watermarking in Mid-2026 Amid Copyright Lawsuits
Suno will embed identifiable watermarks in AI-generated music starting mid-2026 to address copyright lawsuits from major labels and risks for legal counsel.
OpenAI Seeks Dismissal of Apple Trade Secrets Lawsuit Citing Security Flaws
OpenAI moves to dismiss Apple's 2026 trade secrets lawsuit, challenging security and offboarding gaps amid employee transfers.
Texas A&M Professors Sue Over Ban on Pro-LGBTQ+ Teaching Materials
Four Texas A&M professors and their union filed a lawsuit challenging the university's ban on pro-LGBTQ+ teaching materials, raising free speech and academic freedom issues.
China Redefines Integrated Circuits, Boosts IP Protection for Chips
China’s updated legal rules redefine integrated circuits and enhance IP protections, advancing its leadership in chip technology and innovation.
Nvidia Faces Multiple AI Copyright Lawsuits Over Training Data Use
Nvidia confronts several lawsuits accusing unauthorized use of copyrighted works in AI training, highlighting key legal risks for IP counsel and legal pros.
USPTO to Centralize IPR Trial Decisions Under Director's Authority
USPTO plans major IPR rule changes centralizing trial institution decisions and limiting repeat patent challenges before PTAB.
Judge Allows Reddit's DMCA Claims Against AI Data Scrapers
A judge lets Reddit pursue DMCA claims against AI firms Perplexity and SerpApi over data scraping, impacting AI training data copyright enforcement.