Our weekly SoCal IP Institute meeting on Monday, February 23, 2015 will be a discussion of:

Helfrich Patent Licensing v. New York Times, JC Penney, et. al, Case No. 2014-1196 (Fed. Cir.  February 10, 2015 ) (available here).  Plaintiff Helfrich sued the New York Times and additional companies alleging infringement of claims from seven patents. The patents relate to systems for transmitting data to mobile-phone handsets. The district court granted summary judgment of non-infringement under the doctrine of patent exhaustion. The Federal Circuit reversed the district court’s ruling holding that the doctrine of patent exhaustion does not have such a broad reach, and that plaintiff’s claims have not been exhausted.

Soverain Software v. Victoria’s Secret Direct Brand management, LLC and Avon Products, LLC, Case Nos. 2012-1648, 2012-1650 (Fed. Cir. February 12, 2015 ) (available here). Soverain Software sued Victoria’s Secret Direct Brand Management alleging infringement of some of the claims of two patents. The district court held that the claims were not invalid and that Victoria’s Secret infringed those claims. After the district court’s ruling, the district court ruled in Soverain Software v. Newegg, that those same claims were invalid. Victoria’s Secret appealed the district court’s ruling that the claims were not invalid. The Federal Circuit reversed the district court’s ruling that the claims were not invalid, holding that as a matter of issue preclusion, Soverain Software’s claims are invalid.

All are invited to join us in our discussion during the SoCal IP Institute meeting on Monday, February 23, 2015 at Noon in our Westlake Village office. This activity is approved for 1 hour of MCLE credit. If you will be joining us, please RSVP to Noelle Smith by 9 am Monday morning.