A former female colleague asked me once why nearly all of my clients are men. Frankly, I had never given the matter any thought. It took me awhile even to accept my colleague’s conclusion that nearly all of my clients were, in fact, of the male variety. So I pulled out my list of clients
Is Mommy More Ethical Than Daddy? Read More »
The ABA has dived head first into the pool of law firm cybersecurity. On May 11, 2017, the American Bar Association’s Standing Committee on Ethics and Professional Responsibility issued Formal Opinion 477 (here), which addresses a broad range of issues that lawyers must consider to protect client confidential information from “nefarious actors throughout the internet.”
To Encrypt, Or Not To Encrypt, That Is The Question Read More »
It is Ethics 101 that a law firm cannot use its former client’s confidential information in a substantially related matter on behalf of a different client directly adverse to the former client, at least not without the former client’s informed consent. The reason for this common sense rule, which prohibits “side-switching,” is that a lawyer’s
New Lawsuit Accuses IP Counsel Of Attacking Same Patents It Prosecuted Read More »
The USPTO has suspended a PTO-employed attorney for thirty (30) days for practicing trademark law before the Office for private clients, in violation of federal conflicts of interest laws. See In re Tara K. Laux, Proc. No. D2016-39 (USPTO Dir. Mar. 9, 2017). According to a settlement agreement reached with the OED Director, attorney Tara
PTO Suspends PTAB Atty Who Filed Multiple TM Apps For Cannabis Client Read More »
Do you worry about ethics in your IP practice? If not, you should. There is way too much going on out there, and not knowing what is happening can leave you exposed to ethics and malpractice risk. If you can spare 90 minutes, tune in tomorrow from 1:00-2:30 pm EST for the ABA-IPL Landslide Webinar Series,
Untying The IP Ethics Knot Read More »
The only time a patent attorney or agent ever wants to hear from the USPTO’s Office of Enrollment and Discipline is when they are admitted to the Patent Bar and issued a registration number. Other than that, no news is good news. So if an envelope arrives from the OED (certified mail, return receipt requested),
You Just Received An OED Bar Grievance. Now What? Read More »
CLE courses seem to be popping up left and right about the impact of the Supreme Court’s 2016 Halo v. Pulse decision reversing the prior Seagate willful infringement standard. The focus of these other CLEs seems to be more on the substantive law of willfulness and how the district courts have responded to the issue
CLE: Advice of Counsel Defense and Privilege Waivers In Patent Litigation Post-Halo Read More »
It’s deja vu all over again: a second ex-Niro IP attorney has received an 18-month suspension from practice before the USPTO. Attorney Paul C. Gibbons, one of four attorneys from the now defunct Niro, Haller & Niro who were sanctioned for vexatious litigation arising from the firm’s representation of NPE Intellect Wireless, settled a disciplinary
USPTO Suspends Second Ex-Niro IP Attorney For 18 Months Read More »
