presented to acc america september 19, 2014 by: jason m. schwent taming the trolls: litigation...
TRANSCRIPT
Presented to ACC AmericaSeptember 19, 2014By: Jason M. Schwent
Taming the Trolls:Litigation Strategies
for Dealing with Patent Assertion Entities
PAEs/NPEs/Patent Trolls
Various Names• Patent Trolls• Non-Practicing Entities (NPEs)• Patent Assertion Entities (PAEs)
Percentage of Patent Troll Cases Filed in U.S. (2010 – 2012)
Why are they a problem?
2010 2011 2012
29%40%
56%
PAE Litigation
What Do They Want? Who Are They? Litigation Strategies Legislative Responses
PAE Litigation
What do they want?• Always, without exception…
• MONEY!!!
What do they give you?• Nonexclusive license• Covenant not to sue
• Not likely to keep $$$ confidential (especially ED Tex)
• Under current law, no injunction likely
PAE Litigation
Who are they? Acacia, GeoTag, EMG, Helferich, Lodsys, etc.• Usually familiar plaintiff’s counsel
• Contingency fee relationship
• Wealth of information• Prior suits• Prior rulings• Prior settlements• Prior art• Prior work by others
PAE Litigation
Litigation Strategies• If you’re sued….• Fight or Flight?• Safety in Numbers• Merits• Think creatively• Third-Parties
PAE Litigation
Fight or Flight• Early settlement
• Spend is low• Early discount• Poorly developed info
• Fight then Flight• Maximize leverage
– Timing-based leverage– Evidence-based leverage– Patent Office challenges
• Leverage cost savings
PAE Litigation
Safety in Numbers• Co-defendants• Pool resources• Prior art searching• Experts
• Ride later wave• Preserve individual defenses
PAE Litigation
Merits• Infringement
• Do you practice it?• Is it important?• Is part of it done outside US?• Is it already licensed?
• Invalidity• Is the patent valid?• Prior art searching• Patent Office re-review
– Possible stay of litigation
PAE Litigation
Patent Office Challenges• Ex parte reexamination• Challenger starts—no further role
• Post-grant review• w/in 9 mos. of issuance
• Inter partes review• at least 9 mos. post-issuance
• Covered business method patent review
PAE Litigation
Think creatively • Early motions• Narrow scope of case• Attack patent assets – on multiple fronts• Any dirt on PAE?
PAE Litigation
Third Parties• Indemnification• Vendor/Supplier• Possible stay?
• License Broker• Interested Parties• Bounties
PAE Litigation
Washington perception of the size and scope of the problem • Small businesses and inventors being harmed• Innocent end users and customers
– Coffee shop WiFi– Scanners– Local retailers
• Innovation and employment• PAE litigation increase• Prior fixes weren’t enough
State Attorney General actions
PAE Litigation
Patent reform legislation?• Current Status = Dead• Compromise could not be found• What was the problem?
PAE Litigation
Two problems:• Defining wrong doers• Unintended consequences
PAE Litigation
Who to target? Target entities who don’t make, sell, or develop anything
• Patent holding companies• Trusts• Universities
Target entities whose only income is from patent enforcement• Patent holding companies/trusts• Universities• Small Inventors
PAE Litigation
Unintended consequences…• Fee shifting?• Plaintiff litigation bonds?• Punishing meritless arguments?• Early claim construction/discovery stay?• Administrative alternatives?
PAE Litigation
So now what?• Congress wants to try again• Court based reform• Octane Fitness, LLC v. ICON Health & Fitness, Inc.• Highmark, Inc. v. Allcare Health Management System,
Inc.
Questions
Contact Information
Author of “The Patent Billy Goat” blog—a guide to learning about and dealing with patent assertion entities and their tactics
(314) 552-6291