In a set of astonishing identical Director Review decisions, the Acting USPTO Director discretionarily denied five IPR petitions whose proceedings would have concluded over seven months before the underlying patent infringement suit would have gone to trial. The Acting
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European Commission kick starts overhaul of EU telecom law
“Look, if you had one shot or one opportunity to seize everything you ever wanted in one moment, would you capture it or just let it slip?” asks Eminem in his song “Lose Yourself”. This year might provide just one
UK regulator has fake reviews in its sights
The Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act 2024 (DMCCA) [Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act 2024] has both increased consumer protection rights in the UK and the enforcement powers of the main consumer regulator, the Competition and Markets
Ad restrictions on HFSS products in the UK to now take effect on 5 January 2026, with voluntary compliance from advertisers and broadcasters from 1 October 2025
The authors wish to thank Royce Clemente for his contribution to this post.
The UK Government has delayed the implementation of the Advertising (Less Healthy Food Definitions and Exemptions) Regulations 2024 (“Regulations”), which were due to come into force on
$222M Jury Verdict Against Walmart in Trade Secret Case Reflects Growing Trend
Monetary awards in trade secrets cases continue to grab headlines in 2025. As reported in this recent blog post, a Boston jury awarded a medical device company $452M for theft of trade secrets by a competitor, later reduced to
Call It Out When You Think the Examiner Has Overlooked Prior Art
The patent statute 35 U.S.C. § 325(d) allows the USPTO Director to deny institution of an IPR when “the same or substantially the same prior art or arguments previously were presented to the Office.” In IPR practice, relying on prior art
New Procedural Rules for Trade Secrets in Germany
On April 1, 2025, the Act to Strengthen Germany as a Location for Justice—formally titled Justizstandort-Stärkungsgesetz of October 7, 2024 (Federal Law Gazette 2024 I No. 302)—entered into force. This legislation aims to enhance Germany’s attractiveness as a venue for
UK Government Publishes New Software and Cyber Security Codes of Practice
As cyber security continues to make be headline news it is timely that on 7 May 2025 the UK government published a new voluntary Software Security Code of Practice: Software Security Code of Practice – GOV.UK
This Code is designed
Compelling Rationale for Producing Proprietary Products in U.S. Found in USTR’s Special 301 Report on IP Protection and Enforcement Abroad (Part I)
While the current Trump Administration has based its global trade war on trade imbalances stemming from unfair trade practices of foreign countries, its weapon of choice—increased tariffs—is designed to encourage businesses to relocate manufacturing operations to the U.S., thereby boosting
WhatsApp? A Legally Binding Contract….
The authors wish to thank Royce Clemente for his contributions to this post.
In the recent case of Jaevee Homes Limited v. Mr Steven Fincham, the English High Court has handed down judgment that an exchange of WhatsApp messages between