One Dispute, Many FRANDs: The Samsung–ZTE Dispute and the Fragmentation of Global SEP Licensing
Standard-essential patent disputes are no longer just national patent disputes. When products such as smartphones must comply with global telecommunications standards, the licensing fight often becomes worldwide.
Describing Use of a Genus: Teva V. Lilly Clarifies § 112 For Antibody Method Claims
Patent law requires more than showing that an invention is new and nonobvious. Under 35 U.S.C. § 112, a patent must also describe the invention in enough detail to show that the inventors possessed what they claimed and to teach skilled readers how to make and use it without undue experimentation. These requirements are known as written description and enablement.
Protecting Fashion in the Age of AI
Artificial intelligence (AI) is making an impact in nearly every industry. The impact of AI on the creative arts has been particularly complex and controversial. In the world of fashion, significant resources may be devoted to identifying consumer needs and designing new products by both small independent brands and large corporations. However, there is a rise in AI-powered algorithms to track, reverse engineer, and mass-reproduce fashion artists' works, producing similar products without incurring the overhead costs of design and marketing. Protecting creators from fashion product copying has therefore risen in complexity with associated costs that can present significant challenges to brands that may already have their resources constrained.
Concours Lépine Recognizes Patented Innovation for Seabed Clean-Up
The Concours Lépine is an invention competition held annually since 1901. Originally established to support small French manufacturers and inventors facing increasing foreign competition, it has evolved into a landmark event for innovation in France. Today, it takes place as part of the Paris Trade Fair (Foire de Paris).
USPTO Continues Crackdown on Fraudulent Trademark Filings
The USPTO continues to strengthen its efforts to protect the integrity of the U.S. trademark register. According to a recent USPTO Trademark Alert, in the past six months the agency has issued 11 administrative orders targeting the removal of approximately 10,500 trademark applications and registrations.
Iraq – Baghdad: Updated Official Trademark Fees
The Iraqi Trademark Office has introduced a revised fee structure following the approval of a legislative decision to update official fees for certain trademark procedures. The changes impact a wide range of services, including trademark filings, registrations, renewals, and related administrative processes. These amendments were officially published in the Official Gazette on 30 March 2026 and applied by the Iraqi TMO as of May 06, 2026.
Qatar Expands Trademark Registration to All Classes, Including Class 33
Following the adoption of the 13th Edition of the Nice Classification in February 2026, Qatar's Ministry of Commerce and Industry has clarified that all 45 trademark classes are now open for registration. This update, issued in March 2026, marks an important step in aligning Qatar's trademark system with international standards.
The White House Looks to the Future of Artificial Intelligence in the US
Though AI legislation in the US remains nascent, the Obama, Trump, and Biden administrations have all voiced opinions on what the future of AI should look like in the US. The Trump administration's AI-directed communications recently culminated in the release of "A National Policy Framework for Artificial Intelligence" (the Framework). The Framework is a continuation of the December 2025 Executive Order "Ensuring a National Policy Framework for Artificial Intelligence" (the Executive Order) and advocates for many of the same priorities. Unlike the Executive Order, however, the Framework includes clear Congressional calls to action, addresses intellectual property rights, and proposes strategies for enabling innovation.
The New EPO Guidelines for Examination and Their Main Implications for Applicants
A new version of the Guidelines for Examination in the European Patent Office (EPO) entered into force on 1 April 2026. Among the changes introduced in this edition, we draw our readers' attention to those with the most significant implications for applicants (and, conversely, for opponents). These implications stem from a closer alignment of the Guidelines—and therefore of expected examination practice—with the case law of the Enlarged Board of Appeal.
Archived Evidence from Wayback Machine and Prior Art Determinations for Printed Publications
In a recent decision by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit, the appellate court affirmed the USPTO Patent Trial and Appeal Board's final written decision that IPR petitioner Keysight had provided sufficient evidence that Centripetal's patent claims were anticipated under 35 U.S.C. § 102 by a printed publication that was publicly available before the priority date of the patent. The proceedings involved commonly recurring issues relating to proving public accessibility of printed publications, including use of Wayback Machine® to provide time-stamped proof of such public accessibility. Ultimately, the Federal Circuit emphasized that a person of ordinary skill in the art ("POSITA"), with diligent effort, would have found the publicly available prior art reference since the reference was related to technical documentation from vendors in the technical field and was publicly available as supported by the Wayback Machine® archived evidence.
