After the House passed the Innovation Act, the Senate was expected to act in the first two months of the year. Then in February, the Senate slowed down and their were rumors that a full bill would not make it to a vote before Congress went home to campaign for mid-term elections. But late
National Retail Foundation
Stop Bad Patents: Retailers Take Action
By R. David Donoghue on
Posted in Patent Trolls
Several retail trade associations — the Food Marketing Institute, National Retail Foundation, National Restaurant Association, and the Internet Association — are working together to fund a national print and radio advertising campaign to combat trolls. The ads ask people to call their legislators and ask them to take action to prevent bad…
Patent Troll Reform: Existing Laws Do Not Protect Retailers
By R. David Donoghue on
Posted in Patent Trolls
Between the National Retail Foundation coverage and the national news coverage of President Obama’s statements on patent trolls, every retailer is aware of a growing swell of support for patent reform targeted at stopping the patent troll problem. And the problem is as big for retailers, as for any business sector. The NRF’s Senior Vice …
Retail: A definition in transition
By R. David Donoghue on
Posted in Industry Issues
One of the interesting facets of retail patent litigation is understanding what “retail” means. It used to be simple — brick and mortar stores and their suppliers (which were usually manufacturers as well). Today, the definition is much less clear. Between the internet, a more global marketplace and the intense specialization of many businesses, the…