Intellectual Property Law and Copyright Laws

Companies often lose patent rights not to competitors, but through their own business activities—product demos, sales quotes, or marketing posts released before filing. This governance checklist shows general counsel and in-house patent teams how to build systematic review processes that prevent self-inflicted disclosure bars under 35 U.S.C. § 102(a)(1).

Inter partes review petitions fell to an all-time quarterly low of 57 in the second quarter of 2026. The story is no longer just decline; it is substitution. Ex parte reexamination requests hit an all-time quarterly high of 336 in the same quarter, and reexams now account for roughly three-quarters of all post-grant validity filings. The IPR era’s center of gravity has moved.

Proposed real party in interest disclosure requirements could reshape defensive patent strategies involving product launches, licensing negotiations, freedom-to-operate analyses, and pre-litigation planning.

AI-generated performers like Tilly Norwood and Xania Monet are creating real revenue streams through licensing, streaming, and brand partnerships. How should creators, managers, and agencies structure ownership, navigate international tax obligations, and build sustainable business models around digital talent that exists entirely as intellectual property?

A Federal Circuit ruling clarifies how courts calculate copyright damages when the government exceeds commercial software license terms, examining whether actual license rates or hypothetical negotiations should govern infringement awards. The decision addresses critical questions about the "book of wisdom" doctrine's limits and the availability of enhanced statutory damages against the United States under 28 U.S.C. § 1498(b).

When a multi-million-dollar jury verdict gets slashed to single digits by a trial judge, it usually marks a devastating end to a company’s legal battle.

When a legal research startup trained its AI on lawyer memos derived from Westlaw's editorial summaries, it sparked a landmark copyright case that exposes how artificial intelligence extracts not just content, but the accumulated judgment and authority publishers spent decades building. As Google referral traffic plummets and AI-generated content farms proliferate, the question shifts from "was a copy made?" to "was the expert ever hired?"

A federal court has approved a groundbreaking $1.5 billion settlement between AI developer Anthropic and a class of authors whose copyrighted works were allegedly downloaded from piracy libraries to train large language models. The settlement, which the court called the largest copyright class action in American legal history, provides an average recovery of approximately $3,000 per work while leaving the door open for future AI-related litigation. Despite the massive settlement fund, the court significantl

Explore the latest legal developments in fashion industry intellectual property, from California's groundbreaking textile waste legislation to landmark design patent disputes. This issue examines how environmental regulations and trademark battles are reshaping the business landscape for fashion brands and manufacturers.

Artificial intelligence has become a routine feature of proceedings under the Uniform Domain Name Dispute Resolution Policy (UDRP). Both complainants and respondents now use AI to draft pleadings, identify legal arguments, generate or support evidence, build websites and business plans, and produce automated domain name valuations. Used carefully, these tools can make the UDRP more accessible and more efficient. Used carelessly, they introduce real risks around accuracy, evidential reliability, confidentiality and accountability.

The Second Circuit's recent decision in Peju Province Winery v. Cesari S.R.L. clarifies when USPTO Trademark Trial and Appeal Board rulings on likelihood of confusion can bind parties in subsequent district court litigation. This case examines the critical distinction between trademark analysis based solely on registration documents versus actual marketplace usage, potentially reshaping how trademark owners approach both TTAB proceedings and infringement litigation strategy.

Mayer Brown IP partners Rich Assmus and Kristine Young examine the trademark dispute between outdoor apparel giant Patagonia Inc. and drag persona "Pattie Gonia," exploring how the infringement suit triggered a public backlash and Streisand effect. The discussion covers legal merits including trademark policing duties, weakened parody defenses post-Jack Daniels v. VIP Products, and the strategic implications of enforcement decisions versus coexistence agreements.