This week on MIP: No TB lawsuits, EasyJet sues UK band

Ex-judge keen to develop juniors' PTAB enthusiasm in new role

A former Patent Trial and Appeal Board judge was drawn to Perkins Coie because of the firm’s robust ability to work with high-tech clients, she told Managing IP.

It was announced on Monday, October 2, that Jessica Kaiser had joined Perkins Coie from Arnold & Porter. Prior to working at Arnold & Porter, Kaiser was a lead administrative patent judge at the PTAB.

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No TB drug lawsuits, J&J promises

Activists have hailed a “sea change” in the treatment of tuberculosis after Johnson & Johnson agreed not to enforce patents covering bedaquiline on Friday, September 29.

J&J said the decision was intended to reassure generics makers that they could market cheaper versions of bedaquiline, a TB drug, in 134 low- and middle-income countries.

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EasyJet sues UK band over ‘Fuck the Tories’ jibe

The owner of the easyJet airline has sued indie band Easy Life for trademark misuse, citing the band’s use of “political slurs” such as “Fuck the Tories”, a copy of a complaint seen by Managing IP has revealed.

The band revealed it had been sued by easyGroup in a post on X, formerly Twitter, on Monday, October 2. EasyGroup owns easyJet as well as various other ‘easy’ brands.

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Other articles published by Managing IP this week include:

AI queries ‘explode’, but which law firms can capitalise?

Behind the case: ‘Think big’, say Assa Abloy lawyers after record TM win

Weekly take: AI demands could create new breed of lawyer

European states hail ‘unity’ on 50th anniversary of EPC

Why IP lawyers aren’t sweating over AI prediction tools yet

Rouse hires former TikTok IP manager as anti-piracy head

Senator warns against attempts to ‘slow down’ anti-fakes bill

ACID celebrations

UK-based designer and manufacturing group Anti Copying In Design will celebrate its 25th anniversary next month.

“Little did I know that when I was copied so much as a designer it would change the course of my life,” said founder and CEO Dids Macdonald in a press release issued on Monday, October 2.

“I vowed I would try and hold those that steal to account. As we look to the future, there is still much to be done to change the pervading culture of design theft,” Macdonald added.

Damages deadlines

The US Supreme Court agreed on Friday, September 29, to hear an appeal from Warner Music over how long plaintiffs can wait to recover damages for copyright infringement.

Miami-based music producer Sherman Nealy sued Warner Music in 2018 after rapper Flo Rida allegedly sampled his song without permission.

Nealy wanted to collect damages going as far back as 2008, when Flo Rida’s song was released, but a district judge ruled damages should only be recoverable for the three years before he filed the suit.

However, the US Court of Appeals for the 11th Circuit subsequently ruled there was no bar on damages timelines so long as the alleged infringement was only discovered recently.

Russian hangover

Danish brewing company Carlsberg said on Tuesday, October 3, that it has terminated its licence agreements in Russia.

In a statement, the company said it would end an agreement that enables Russian brewer Baltika to “produce, market and sell all Carlsberg Group products, including international and regional brands”.

Carlsberg said the move was in response to a presidential decree issued on July 16 that temporarily transferred the management of Baltika to Russian authorities.

EPC milestone

Thursday, October 5, marked 50 years since the signing of the European Patent Convention, the legal system under which European patents are granted.

The EPO marked the occasion with a hybrid event featuring talks and sessions dedicated to inspirational inventors, and on how inclusive innovation is contributing to a more sustainable world.

IP police

Sticking with birthdays, the UK-based Police Intellectual Property Crime Unit, a team within the City of London Police, is celebrating 10 years since its launch.

In an announcement on Thursday, October 5, PIPCU said it had secured 24 criminal convictions and conducted 13 "disruptions" against organised criminal groups in the last financial year.

Set up in 2013, the unit was created in response to growing concerns around IP crime.