Attorney at Work

JUNE 23, 2022

Being on the receiving end of a state bar complaint and sanction is awful. It’s painful, it’s public and, frankly, it’s humiliating. Unfortunately, that’s something I know from personal experience. An Ethics Sanction Needn’t Be a Professional Death Sentence. That is, not if you don’t allow it to become one. Understandably, few attorneys want to talk about their experience with the disciplinary process, even though it’s not as rare as some might think.

Witnesses 253

Witnesses Education 253

IP Watchdog

JUNE 20, 2022

On June 8, 2022, Senators Leahy, Blumenthal, Klobuchar, Cornyn, Collins and Braun sent a letter to U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) Director Kathi Vidal expressing concern about so-called “patent thickets” and requesting that she consider changes to the USPTO regulations and practices to address perceived problems with patent examination. The senators asked the USPTO to issue a notice of proposed rulemaking (which presumably must include new draft regulations) or at a minimum, a public r

Litigation 136

Litigation 136

InHouseBlog

JUNE 23, 2022

Legal departments are not viewed as good business partners according to recent reporting. This view is not shared by the departments themselves, so there appears to be quite a disconnect brewing. Perhaps more effort needs to be made to break the reactive cycle that often exists and that can prevent the law department from being viewed as a cost-effective member of the business team.

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MyCase

JUNE 22, 2022

At one point or another, most attorneys will need to set an hourly rate, whether for a complex criminal case or even for something as simple as drafting a contract. During this process, the first question typically asked is, “what is the average lawyer hourly rate?” . Below, we’ll explain the key things you need to know about lawyer costs and billing practices.

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Advertiser: Trellis

Law Firm Intelligence by Trellis aggregates state trial court data across the Trellis platform enabling users to: look up a particular metric related to a specific law firm (such as, how many cases a law firm had or has against another law firm), and see the actual dockets and documents supporting the metric. Trellis data is maximized in a revolutionary and unique way to provide users an exclusive look into a law firm litigating in state trial courts.

Litigation

Attorney at Work

JUNE 21, 2022

Legal blog posts follow one of three formats: the case law breakdown, evergreen analysis or future forecast. Here’s how to write a well-structured case law breakdown post. Let’s face it. Many legal blog posts are easy to ignore. They’re long-winded, lack structure, and fail to serve the reader. Want to write better blog posts? I’m assuming you’ve got the substance nailed.

Case Law 254

Case Law 254

IP Watchdog

JUNE 20, 2022

A bipartisan group of senators on Friday sent a letter to Shira Perlmutter, Register of Copyrights and Director of the U.S. Copyright Office, expressing their concern about a letter sent by the Digital Licensee Coordinator (DLC) to the Office requesting that any obligation of DLC member companies to make retroactive royalty payments to copyright owners as a result of an imminent decision be delayed.

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MyCase

JUNE 21, 2022

As a law firm, you have two main goals: the first is to provide top-notch service to your clients, and the second is to maximize your profits. In this overview, we’re focusing on the latter. We’ll explore some impactful ways you can increase the profitability of your business. . The Difference Between Revenue and Profitability. Most people are familiar with revenue , which refers to the amount of money your business brings in.

Real Estate 52

Real Estate Technology Objections 52

Attorney at Work

JUNE 24, 2022

The best home office setup goes beyond the computer. You already know you need two monitors. You’ve figured out you need an ergonomic wireless mouse. You’ve got online file storage and security protocols out the wazoo. But as we hurtle further into the new year, you might be thinking, “Could my home office setup be better? Could I create a space in which I thrive?

Construction 245

Construction 245

IP Watchdog

JUNE 23, 2022

On June 22, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit (CAFC) affirmed a decision by the United States District Court for the Southern District of California granting summary judgment in favor of Golden Eye Media USA Inc (GEM) over Evo Lifestyle Products Limited, formerly known as Trolley Bags UK Ltd (TB UK) after holding TB UK’s U.S. Design Patent No.

Litigation 122

Litigation 122

Attorney at Work

JUNE 22, 2022

Looking back to when I was a new attorney in BigLaw, I think what made it especially stressful was the fact I just didn’t know what I didn’t know. And I didn’t even know enough to know what questions to ask. In light of that, here are a few questions you may want to consider asking when you get that first assignment. Four Questions a New Attorney Needs to Ask About Assignments. 1.

Witnesses 242

Witnesses Litigation Technology 242

Advertiser: Trellis

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Litigation

Attorney at Work

JUNE 22, 2022

QUESTION: I’ve represented an individual client for almost 20 years in various transactional and litigation matters. Over the past year, I’ve noticed what seems to be a mild yet steady decline in his cognitive abilities. He has stopped email communications and now will only talk on the phone or have someone bring him to my office. Our discussions of pending matters are becoming disjointed and repetitive.

Objections 228

Objections Litigation Court Rules 228

Attorney at Work

JUNE 24, 2022

Using a letter of closure at the end of client engagements varies greatly from firm to firm — and at times among lawyers within the same firm. Among those who don’t use them, the excuses I hear include, “We do a lot of flat-fee, in-and-out kinds of things (simple wills or small business formations) and the effort simply isn’t worth it.” Or, “Most of our work is for repeat clients and we’re certainly not about to say goodbye to them.

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Attorney at Work

JUNE 24, 2022

Building good practice systems requires creating good model documents. Here’s how to get more organized and get more out of Microsoft Word by setting up “Gold Standard Templates” that reduce errors, minimize frustration and save tons of time. What Are Gold Standard Templates? Gold Standard Microsoft Word Templates are model documents set up in Word with frustration-free formatting, easy-to-identify changeable text, and all optional provisions in one place.

Technology 192

Technology 192

Attorney at Work

JUNE 22, 2022

“Don’t work for your computer, put your computer to work for you.” Save time with the Windows logo key, also known as the start key. Often I sound like a broken record. IRL (in real life), on my blog and here at Attorney at Work, I’m constantly repeating this mantra: “Don’t work for your computer, put your computer to work for you. ” Sometimes small bits of information that would make our day more efficient are overlooked (or forgotten).

Technology 174

Technology 174

IP Watchdog

JUNE 21, 2022

U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) Director Kathi Vidal and outgoing Acting Deputy Director Drew Hirshfeld joined IPWatchdog’s CEO and Founder Gene Quinn today to discuss Hirshfeld’s nearly 30-year career with the Office, as well as Vidal’s philosophy as she embarks on her journey as the new Director. Vidal emphasized the importance of dialogue in shaping USPTO practices and processes but said she also will not wait around indefinitely on input over doing “what’s right for the country.

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IP Watchdog

JUNE 20, 2022

This week in Washington IP news and events, both the Senate and the House of Representatives hold hearings looking at various aspects of the Patent Trial and Appeal Board (PTAB), including its impact on small businesses as well as ways that predictability and fairness in PTAB proceedings can be restored by Congress. Elsewhere, the American Enterprise Institute explores the current state of the debate over a waiver of international IP rights for COVID-19 vaccines, and IPWatchdog’s President and C

Technology 110

Technology 110

IP Watchdog

JUNE 23, 2022

As we reported yesterday, the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) Director Kathi Vidal issued a memorandum on the “Interim Procedure for Discretionary Denials in AIA Post-Grant Proceedings with Parallel District Court Litigation” clarifying current Patent Trial and Appeal Board (PTAB) practice on discretionary denials of inter partes review (IPR) and post grant review (PGR) proceeding institutions.

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Evidence Litigation 75

IP Watchdog

JUNE 23, 2022

Senator Thom Tillis yesterday wrote to Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Commissioner Dr. Robert Califf, asking for a third time that the FDA conduct “an independent assessment and analysis of the sources and data that are being relied upon by those advocating for patent-based solutions to drug pricing.” Tillis expressed his frustration with the lack of response thus far, explaining that no formal reply has yet been received despite his first letter being sent in January 2022, and calling it “u

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Pharmaceuticals 75

IP Watchdog

JUNE 22, 2022

The United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) on Tuesday announced that it has updated its interim guidance on the Director Review process under Arthrex v. Smith & Nephew to indicate that parties should identify any issues of first impression in their requests for Director Review. In a conversation with IPWatchdog Founder and CEO Gene Quinn yesterday, USPTO Director Kathi Vidal said that “it helps when parties focus the review on particular issues,” and indicated that issues of firs

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IP Watchdog

JUNE 24, 2022

One day after the Senate Judiciary Committee’s IP Subcommittee met to discuss the PTAB Reform Act and other ways to improve the Patent Trial and Appeal Board (PTAB), the U.S. House of Representative’s Subcommittee on Courts, Intellectual Property, and the Internet held a similar hearing featuring six witnesses with varying views on the PTAB about how to improve the system.

Witnesses 69

Witnesses Litigation 69

IP Watchdog

JUNE 22, 2022

Today, the Senate Committee on the Judiciary’s Subcommittee on Intellectual Property met to hear testimony from four witnesses about proposed changes to the Patent Trial and Appeal Board (PTAB) as outlined in the recently announced PTAB Reform Act. Subcommittee Chairman Senator Patrick Leahy (D-VT), Ranking Member Thom Tillis (R-NC) and Senator John Cornyn (R-TX) introduced the bill last week.

Witnesses 69

Witnesses Litigation 69

IP Watchdog

JUNE 21, 2022

Juno Therapeutics last week petitioned the U.S. Supreme Court, asking it to review an August 2021 decision of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit (CAFC) that reversed a jury verdict for Juno and Sloan Kettering Institute for Cancer Research, wiping out a $1.2 billion judgment for the entities. The CAFC found that the jury’s verdict with respect to written description was not supported by substantial evidence.

Evidence 69

Evidence Litigation 69

IP Watchdog

JUNE 24, 2022

This week in Other Barks & Bites: the Federal Circuit vacates Eastern Virginia’s denial of a motion for recusal, nixing a $2.75 billion verdict for Centripetal Networks; interim USPTO Director Drew Hirshfeld joins Schwegman Lundberg & Woessner as Principal following end of nearly three-decade career at USPTO; the Senate and House of Representatives both host hearings focused on the negative impacts of the Patent Trial and Appeal Board on small businesses as well as potential reforms; S

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IP Watchdog

JUNE 22, 2022

U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) Director Kathi Vidal has issued a memorandum on the “Interim Procedure for Discretionary Denials in AIA Post-Grant Proceedings with Parallel District Court Litigation” clarifying current Patent Trial and Appeal Board (PTAB) practice on discretionary denials of inter partes review (IPR) and post grant review (PGR) proceeding institutions.

Evidence 59

Evidence Litigation 59

IP Watchdog

JUNE 21, 2022

Earlier today, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit issued a precedential decision in Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corp. v. Accord Healthcare, Inc. granting a petition for rehearing from appellant HEC Pharm Co., Ltd. In granting HEC’s petition, the panel majority of Chief Judge Kimberly Moore, who authored the decision, and Circuit Judge Todd Hughes vacated a previous January ruling by the Federal Circuit, which had affirmed the District of Delaware’s final judgment that Novartis patent

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Expert Testimony Pharmaceuticals Healthcare Evidence 59

IP Watchdog

JUNE 23, 2022

As we reported yesterday, the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) Director Kathi Vidal issued a memorandum on the “Interim Procedure for Discretionary Denials in AIA Post-Grant Proceedings with Parallel District Court Litigation” clarifying current Patent Trial and Appeal Board (PTAB) practice on discretionary denials of inter partes review (IPR) and post grant review (PGR) proceeding institutions.

Evidence 52

Evidence Litigation 52

MyCase

JUNE 22, 2022

Google My Business (GMB) is a law firm’s primary connection between its online presence and physical footprint. GMB is fundamentally yet another directory because of its prevalence in Google’s search engine results. It is a key component of a strategic and effective marketing strategy for law firms. In addition, GMB provides a wealth of critical information to prospective clients, both those who are looking for a specific firm (“Ben Glass Law Firm”) as well as those researching a specific issue

Legal Services 52

Legal Services 52

MyCase

JUNE 22, 2022

At one point or another, most attorneys will need to set an hourly rate, whether for a complex criminal case or even for something as simple as drafting a contract. During this process, the first question typically asked is, “what is the average lawyer hourly rate?” . Below, we’ll explain the key things you need to know about lawyer costs and billing practices.

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MyCase

JUNE 22, 2022

Google My Business (GMB) is a law firm’s primary connection between its online presence and physical footprint. GMB is fundamentally yet another directory because of its prevalence in Google’s search engine results. It is a key component of a strategic and effective marketing strategy for law firms. In addition, GMB provides a wealth of critical information to prospective clients, both those who are looking for a specific firm (“Ben Glass Law Firm”) as well as those researching a specific issue

Legal Services 52

Legal Services 52

MyCase

JUNE 21, 2022

As a law firm, you have two main goals: the first is to provide top-notch service to your clients, and the second is to maximize your profits. In this overview, we’re focusing on the latter. We’ll explore some impactful ways you can increase the profitability of your business. . The Difference Between Revenue and Profitability. Most people are familiar with revenue , which refers to the amount of money your business brings in.

Real Estate 52

Real Estate Technology Objections 52

MyCase

JUNE 21, 2022

For most law firms, non-billable administrative work is a necessary day-to-day duty that costs money and valuable time. With law office automation, your firm can automate some of the most time-consuming tasks, including document drafting, client intake, payment processing, and invoice reminders. . In addition, legal automation will help your firm stay organized, increase productivity, and boost payment collection.

Case Management 52

Case Management 52

MyCase

JUNE 21, 2022

For most law firms, non-billable administrative work is a necessary day-to-day duty that costs money and valuable time. With law office automation, your firm can automate some of the most time-consuming tasks, including document drafting, client intake, payment processing, and invoice reminders. . In addition, legal automation will help your firm stay organized, increase productivity, and boost payment collection.

Case Management 52

Case Management 52