Aerospace Update | September 2026
Hosted Payloads and Exceptions to Patent Protection Under the U.S. Space Act Sashank Krothapally Companies relying on the U.S. Space Act for patent protection of inventions in orbit should be...
Litigation Update | September 2026
Improper Venue: A First, But Not Last Ground For Dismissal Ben K. Shiroma & Zachery Rufa A district court may properly dismiss a case under Rule 12(b)(6) after concluding that...
From Aerospace to Automotive: Honeywell Aerospace Targets Automotive Driver-Assistance Systems in Patent Suits Against Lucid and Rivian
Key Takeaway(s): Patent portfolios originally developed for aerospace applications may have relevance to adjacent transportation sectors. Companies developing automotive, rail, maritime, or autonomous vehicle systems should consider relevant aerospace patent...
The Next Chapter in the Topcon Solar Patent Dispute
Key Takeaway(s): First Solar indicated that it will withdraw its Section 337 complaint relating to TOPCon patents in light of a federal action restricting imports of polysilicon and its derivatives,...
Knobbe Martens Recognized in Inaugural IAM/World Trademark Review Copyright 1000 Guide
IRVINE, Calif., September 29, 2026 – Knobbe Martens is proud to share that the firm and its partners were recognized in the first edition of the Copyright 1000: The World’s...
Patent, Protect, or Pause: Triaging AI-Drafted Invention Disclosures in Biopharma
Key Takeaway: As AI-drafted invention disclosures become more common, counsel are reading past the polished prose, and thinking harder about privilege, and confidentiality. If invention disclosures sound different lately, look...
FAA Rollout of AI-Supported System and Patent Implications for Federal Government Partnerships
Key Takeaway(s): Companies receiving federal funding and assistance, for example in connection with the FAA’s AI-supported system, should be aware of the requirement to include a statement of government support...
Marko Zoretic Explores Substituted Service on Foreign Trademark Defendants in ABA Litigation Article
In a recent article published by the American Bar Association, Knobbe Martens partner Marko Zoretic discusses how practitioners can employ substituted service under the Lanham Act in trademark litigation. Zoretic...
Mark Lezama Quoted in World Trademark Review on Ninth Circuit AI Copyright Ruling in Doe v. GitHub
In a recent World Trademark Review article, Knobbe Martens litigation partner Mark Lezama discussed the implications of the Ninth Circuit’s ruling for OpenAI, GitHub, and and Microsoft in Doe v....
From Investment to Deployment: Why Intellectual Property Matters in an Expanding Nuclear Energy Market
Key Takeaway: New federal initiatives are expanding access to private capital and deployment financing for nuclear energy technologies. Companies that fail to protect and clearly document their intellectual property may...
Transfer of All Substantial Rights Allows a Licensee to Stand in the Patentee’s Shoes
TEXASLDPC INC. v. BROADCOM INC. Before Moore, Chen, and Bissoon (sitting by designation). Appeal from the United States District Court for the District of Delaware. Summary: A license agreement transferring...
Knobbe Martens Named a California Powerhouse by Law360
Publication highlights firm’s across-the-board strength in intellectual property law IRVINE, Calif., September 24, 2026 – Knobbe Martens is proud to announce that it has been named among Law360’s 2026 California...
Knobbe Martens Again Named “Litigation Leader” by BTI Outlook
IRVINE, Calif., September 24, 2026 – Knobbe Martens is pleased to announce that the firm has again been named a “Litigation Leader” in the BTI Litigation Outlook, an annual report that...
Knobbe Martens Takes Home Multiple Honors at 2026 OCCDL Awards Gala
Firm receives Legacy Award; Geetha Durairaj and Nefi Oliva named among Top Lawyers IRVINE, Calif., September 23, 2026 – Knobbe Martens is pleased to share that the firm and two...
Knobbe Martens Partners Named Among “Leading Litigators in America” by Lawdragon
IRVINE, Calif., September 23, 2026 – Knobbe Martens is proud to share that 17 of the firm’s partners were recognized in the 2027 edition of Lawdragon 500 Leading Litigators in...
A Private Sale Does Not Constitute a Public Disclosure Under § 102(B)(1)(B)
NCS MULTISTAGE INC., NCS MULTISTAGE, LLC V. NINE ENERGY SERVICE, INC. Before Reyna, Hughes, and Cunningham. Appeal from the United States District Court for the Western District of Texas Summary:...
Federal Circuit Review | August 2026
August Federal Circuit Newsletter (Japanese) August Federal Circuit Newsletter (Chinese) Preliminary Injunction Vacated Due to Claim Construction Errors In Socket Solutions, LLC v. Import Global, LLC, Appeal No. 25-1121,...
Federal Circuit Clarifies Marking Requirements for Non-Practicing Entities
VDPP, LLC v. VOLKSWAGEN GROUP OF AMERICA, INC. Before Moore, Lourie, and Cunningham. Appeal from the United States District Court for the Southern District of Texas. Summary: To recover pre-suit...
In Law360 Article, Ben Katzenellenbogen and Fatima Kouadio Propose a Clarification to the Functionality Standard in Design Patents
In a Law360 Expert Analysis piece, Knobbe Martens partner Ben Katzenellenbogen and associate Fatima Kouadio examine the uncertainty surrounding functionality in design patent cases, prompted by the Federal Circuit’s splintered...
Referencing Reexamination Does Not Justify Jurisdiction
T-MOBILE US, INC. v. KAIFI LLC Before Taranto, Schall, and Chen. Appeal from the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Texas. Summary: A contractual dispute does not...
Improper Venue: A First, But Not Last, Ground For Dismissal
AML IP, LLC v. BATH & BODY WORKS DIRECT, INC. Before Prost, Bryson, and Reyna. Appeal from the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Texas. Summary: A...
