CPA Global hit with new class action claim

Managing IP is part of Legal Benchmarking Limited, 4 Bouverie Street, London, EC4Y 8AX

Copyright © Legal Benchmarking Limited and its affiliated companies 2025

Accessibility | Terms of Use | Privacy Policy | Modern Slavery Statement

CPA Global hit with new class action claim

class-action-600-comp.jpg

The IP services provider overcharged clients for renewals in a “deliberate and systematic” scheme, the lawsuit claims

Intellectual property services company CPA Global has been accused of substantial overcharging in a class action complaint brought by a medical device company on behalf of itself and around 100 other CPA clients.

In the complaint, filed at the US District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia, New York-based Brainchild Surgical Devices claimed CPA overcharged for renewals and issued “opaque invoices” to conceal this.  

The complaint further alleges that CPA uses similar contracts and pricing structures for all, or nearly all, of its clients in a “deliberate and systematic scheme”.

A spokesperson for Clarivate, which acquired CPA Global in 2020, said it “categorically and emphatically denies any wrongdoing”.

“The fees for our services are defined in our agreements with our customers, and we adhere to those agreements fully,” the spokesperson added.

According to the complaint, filed on May 2, Brainchild entered into an agreement with CPA for managing maintenance payments for its registered, and in some cases pending, patent and design rights around the world.

CPA, Brainchild alleges, agreed to charge a fixed fee of $200 per payment plus CPA’s costs on top.

However, according to the complaint, CPA’s invoices “made it difficult for Brainchild to determine the actual costs incurred in making payments, and thus difficult to tell if Brainchild was being overcharged”.

The complaint includes several examples of renewals work undertaken by CPA at various IP offices, including at the EPO and CIPO, Canada’s IP office. In each case, there were “undisclosed overcharges” of between $214 and $610, the complaint alleges.

It is not the first time CPA has been accused of overcharging – in 2016, the company was sued in a separate class action lawsuit in the US.

According to the latest complaint, in October 2017 the Eastern District of Virginia approved a $5.6 million settlement that went to then-class members.

Brainchild is seeking an order requiring CPA to reimburse any wrongfully obtained funds, damages and attorneys’ fees, as well as an order preventing it from continuing “unfair and deceptive” business practices.

In its complaint Brainchild states that if CPA were to change its billing practices, it might retain the company in the future to manage international patent registration payments.

The Clarivate spokesperson added: “We consider the allegations of overcharging in the new class action to be a deliberate attempt to tarnish our good business reputation and we vigorously defend ourselves against any such vexatious speculation.”

 

more from across site and SHARED ros bottom lb

More from across our site

A seminal decision concerning second medical use patents and questions over confidentiality were among the top talking points this fortnight
Managing IP considers some of the key themes from the 2025 Annual Meeting and offers some tips for London 2026
A comparison of the 2024 and 2025 editions of the Managing IP EMEA Awards reveals the firms and companies that have been dominating Europe’s IP market year after year
Tuesday's coverage includes BD tips for aspiring partners, and a foray into the world of SEPs
Exclusive data reveals law firms are failing to go above and beyond for their corporate clients, with in-house counsel saying advisers should consider more transparent billing processes
Arty Rajendra and Gary Moss discuss why ‘thorough and intense’ preparation, plus the odd glass of wine, led to a record FRAND victory for their client
Monday’s coverage includes news of a potentially 'game-changing' trademark development in China and how practitioners are using AI
Managing IP gives a taster of the numbers behind this year’s IP STARS trademark rankings, and looks back at our 2025 award winners
Updates from IP offices, the shifting requirements of in-house counsel, and news of London 2026 were among major talking points on Sunday
Etienne Sanz de Acedo discusses the association’s three-year plan, what he is looking forward to in San Diego, and why London came calling for 2026
Gift this article