Australia’s IPH proposes to buy rival Qantm IP
Qantm IP, the Australian-listed company and intellectual property services provider, announced on May 8 that it had received an acquisition proposal from rival firm IPH.
The statement, published on the Australian Securities Exchange, discloses details of IPH’s offer.
IPH proposed a complete takeover through an arrangement under which it will acquire each of Qantm’s shares for 0.291 of an IPH share. IPH has also offered a special dividend of up to A$0.11 ($0.07) in cash per Qantm share.
To read the full article, click here.
UPC offers partial refund following CMS woes
The Unified Patent Court granted a partial refund of court fees in a now-resolved patent dispute, following technical issues with the case management system.
In a decision handed down earlier this month, The Hague Local Division approved the withdrawal of a patent infringement complaint and granted a 60% refund of the complainant’s fees.
To read the full article, click here.
Ex-Proskauer team eyes life sciences strength at Mintz
Mintz Levin has become the latest firm to bolster its life sciences practice, bringing on board a patent litigation team from Proskauer.
The firm announced on May 6 that it had hired a team of 10 lawyers from Proskauer. The group includes Siegmund Gutman, who was chair of the life sciences patent practice at Proskauer, and David Hanna, who was senior counsel.
To read the full article, click here.
Other articles published on Managing IP this week include:
Prior art problems: counsel mull AI-generated disclosures
No false promises: in-house share billing tips for law firms
Weekly take: UPC must eliminate distractions to truly flourish
How IP consulting roles can spark new opportunities for lawyers
Five mins with… Tilman Müller-Stoy, Bardehle Pagenberg
Behind the case: Duty calls for Kramer Levin in $23m patent win
Time or action: how IP firms can help support people in crisis
How firms help IP associates with pro bono work
Elsewhere in IP
Copyright clarity
The US Supreme Court ruled on Thursday, May 9 that copyright plaintiffs can recover damages for acts of infringement that date back to more than three years before the filing of a lawsuit. The decision in Warner Chappell Music v Sherman Nealy affirmed an earlier ruling by the Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit.
Tesla row
Car marker Tesla has become embroiled in an intellectual property dispute with battery maker Tesla Power India. In a case filed at the Delhi High Court, the Elon Musk-owned company accused Tesla Power India of trademark infringement over its use of the terms ‘Tesla Power’ and ‘Tesla Power USA’.
AI exams
The UKIPO published new guidelines for examining patent applications relating to artificial intelligence (AI) inventions. The guidelines, published on Tuesday, May 7, explain how exclusions to patentability should apply to AI inventions. The guidance also looks at the requirement for the sufficiency of disclosure of AI inventions.
AI grilling
Sticking with AI in the UK, the country’s IP Minister, Lord Camrose, was grilled on the government’s position on how the technology should relate to IP rights on Thursday, May 9.
Parliamentarians asked how creators’ rights would be protected and whether the government believed copyright infringement could be permissible in the context of developing AI.
Camrose said the government’s position was that creative rights should be protected while supporting AI development and that changes to UK legislation might be needed.
INTA intervention
INTA has filed an intervention in a designs dispute centring on spare parts. The case, Hero MotoCorp v M/S Shree Amba Industries, concerns the interpretation of the word “article” under the Indian Designs Act 2000.
INTA, in an amicus brief filed at the Delhi High Court on May 7, said it disagreed with an earlier determination that a part of an article that has no independent life as an article of commerce in itself and is therefore is not registrable.
Columbia blacklist
A group of 13 US judges, including IP specialist Alan Albright, pledged on Monday, May 6, to no longer hire any law clerks who graduate from Columbia University in New York. The judges claimed the university has “become ground zero for the explosion of student disruptions, anti-semitism, and hatred for diverse viewpoints on campuses across the nation”.
Sisvel deal
Sisvel announced a new agreement with Nordic Semiconductor on Thursday, May 9, for the licensing of standard essential patents (SEPs) covering LTE-M and NB-IoT cellular technology. Sisvel said the agreement creates a framework for easy and transparent access to technology standards for internet of things-related applications.
Avanci growth
Carmakers Volvo and Polestar have joined Avanci’s 5G vehicle platform as licensees, the patent pool operator announced on Wednesday, May 8.
Both companies have been long-time participants in Avanci’s 4G programme. Avanci’s 5G pool incorporates the standard-essential patents of more than 65 licensors.
That's it for today, see you again next week.
