In a complaint Friday in Seattle federal court, Microsoft claims Kyocera infringes its patents with three of Kyocera’s lower-cost Android phones, reports ArsTechnica. The accused models include the Duraforce, Hydro, and Brigadier.

The three models use the Android operating system and are “ruggedized,” meaning they include features like waterproofing and thick rubbery exteriors.

“Microsoft has long maintained that Android device makers must pay royalties for use of its patents,” reports Ars Technica. “Most Android device-makers pay a royalty to Microsoft for each phone, and estimates of the Redmond company’s patent-licensing revenue ranges up to $2 billion per year.”

Read the story.

The U.S. Senate has confirmed former Google executive Michelle Lee to head the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, a position that has been vacant for more than two years, reports Reuters.

She was confirmed by an unrecorded voice vote in the full Senate,more than a week after the Senate Judiciary Committee passed along her nomination.

Lee, a former deputy general counsel and head of patents and patent strategy at Google, had been the acting director of the office. She started with the agency in 2012 as the first director of the patent office’s Silicon Valley outpost, according to the report.

Read the story.

The Third U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals has ruled that, under the terms of a contract, Walt Disney Studios Motion Picture Production and its affiliates did not acquire a perpetual worldwide license to use patents to convert conventional films into 3D.

In a paper published at IPWatchdog, Paige H. Forster explains that the case is located at the intersection of bankruptcy and IP law.

“The story of In re DDMG Estate begins with the 2009 Disney film “G-Force,” which depicted the adventures of a band of highly-trained crime-fighting guinea pigs,” the IPWatchdog story says. “Of course, the only thing better than a rodent action-adventure flick is a 3D rodent action-adventure flick—which is why Disney and a company called In Three entered into the contract at the heart of this appeal. Under the contract, In Three was to deliver a ‘left eye and right eye digital 3D version of 17 minutes of the [G-Force] Picture’ to Disney.”

Read the story.

For the first time, the Federal Circuit directly addressed whether the advertising or offering of a service, without the actual provision of the service, constitutes use in commerce for a service mark, reports McCarter & English in a paper written by Jonathan Short and Carissa L. Rodrigue.

The case is Couture v. Playdom, Inc., No. 2014-1480 (Fed. Cir. Mar. 2, 2015).

“In affirming the Trademark Trial and Appeal Board’s (TTAB) cancellation of the service mark PLAYDOM, the court held that the mark was void ab initio because the associated services were not rendered as of the use-based application’s filing date even though the mark owner had used the mark to advertise the services by launching a website, and that such advertising alone does not constitute use in commerce,” the report says.

Read the story.

Arthur R. Block, Executive Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary, Comcast Corporation (Photo: Business Wire)

Comcast Corporation has announced the promotion of Arthur R. Block to Executive Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary of Comcast Corporation.

Block previously served as Senior Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary of Comcast. He reports to David L. Cohen, Executive Vice President of Comcast Corporation.

Block is the company’s chief legal officer, overseeing Comcast’s legal, corporate governance, compliance, and strategic intellectual property functions. During his 26 years with the company, he has served as the lead in-house attorney for Comcast’s mergers, acquisitions and financings, including transformative acquisitions like AT&T Broadband and NBCUniversal, Comcast said in a new release.

“Art has been an outstanding leader of our legal affairs team and has earned great respect from his colleagues and peers throughout our company and industry,” said Cohen. “He is a trusted advisor who provides excellent judgment, strong leadership, and extensive industry experience, and has led the company through some of its most complex transactions.”

“Art is a distinguished legal expert with deep knowledge and understanding of complex matters and is one of the best lawyers in our industry and the profession as a whole,” said Brian L. Roberts, Chairman and CEO, Comcast Corporation. “He has been a key part of Comcast’s growth and over the years has provided invaluable advice as part of the senior management team. I look forward to his continued success at the company.”

Prior to joining Comcast, Art was a partner in the Corporate Department of the Philadelphia law firm Wolf Block where he began his legal career in 1978. During his tenure at Wolf Block, he served as a legal advisor to Comcast before joining the company as in-house counsel in 1989.

Art currently serves as Co-Chair of the Site Board of City Year Greater Philadelphia and as the Chair of the Board of Managers of Moore College of Art and Design. He was the recipient of the 2012 Idealist of the Year Award from City Year Greater Philadelphia. He received his B.S. in economics from the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School of Business and his J.D. from the University of Michigan Law School.

The Dallas technology-focused law firm Munck Wilson Mandala announced a $58.7 million trade secret misappropriation, breach of contract, patent infringement and tortious interference verdict for firm client Texas Advanced Optoelectronic Solutions Inc. (TAOS) in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Texas.

Following the four-week trial, federal jurors on Friday found that Milpitas, Calif.-based Intersil Corp. used TAOS’ patented technology for dual-diode ambient light sensors without consent, according to a release from the law firm. The jury also found that Intersil misappropriated TAOS’ trade secrets in order to obtain a competitive advantage. TAOS prevailed in all the company’s claims against Intersil, including misappropriation of trade secrets, breach of contract, tortious interference and patent infringement.

The verdict includes $48.7 million in damages for trade secret misappropriation and $10 million in punitive damages for both trade secret misappropriation and for tortious interference.

Read the story.

McGinnis Lochridge has announced that Jeffrey Beck, Austin Brister and Ian McNeill have been named to the firm’s oil and gas transactional team.

Beck joins the firm from Jones Gill LLP in Houston where he was a partner.  He is an experienced energy transactional lawyer, focusing on oil and gas mergers, acquisitions and divestitures including negotiations, document preparation and associated due diligence  Jeff graduated from South Texas College of Law and is licensed in Texas. Before Law school, he worked as a pipeline engineer in the energy industry.

Brister joins as an associate from Jones Gill where he worked with Beck on oil and gas transactions, due diligence and title opinions for the last several years. He has also written a number of papers and served as a speaker at numerous conferences. Austin graduated from the Wyoming College of Law and is licensed in Wyoming, Colorado, North Dakota and Texas.

McNeill comes from the Kilburn Law Firm, and previously served as an Assistant District Attorney in the Harris County District Attorney’s Office where his experience has provided him with a unique perspective that aids him in his general litigation practice.  He received his JD in 2003 from the South Texas College of Law and his B.A. from Trinity University. He is also licensed in Ohio.

Read more about the firm.

Reuters is reporting that Kevin McKay, who began his Wall Street legal career in 1978 at E.F. Hutton, will join Barclays PLC’s wealth and investment management division in the Americas next month as general counsel, a company spokeswoman said.

For the past 12 years McKay was general counsel of Dominick & Dominick, a New York City broker-dealer with fewer than 50 brokers that was purchased in January by Memphis, Tennessee-based Wunderlich Securities, according to the Reuters report.

He was briefly chief executive of the New York-based firm before the deal, and retained the general counsel title at Wunderlich.

Read the story.

Ron C. McCallum of Simon Greenstone Panatier Bartlett

Dallas-based Simon Greenstone Panatier Bartlett, PC, a nationally recognized trial law firm, is announcing the addition of trial attorney Ron C. McCallum in the firm’s Catastrophic Personal Injury & Wrongful Death section.

McCallum joins Simon Greenstone as an associate from The Law Firm of Ted B. Lyon & Associates in Mesquite. His lengthy trial record includes significant verdicts and settlements in a variety of cases involving serious injuries and wrongful death.

“Ron is the ideal person to help us build on our work representing the victims of catastrophic injury,” says attorney David C. Greenstone, a founding shareholder at the firm. “We will, of course, continue representing clients in asbestos and products liability cases, but we believe Ron has to skill set to help us grow our work on behalf of those who have been seriously injured in aviation, truck and bus accidents, refinery explosions and other catastrophes.”

McCallum earned his bachelor of arts in 1997 from the University of Oklahoma, where he also trained as a professional pilot. He received his law degree from the South Texas College of Law where he was a member of Currents, the school’s international trade law journal.

“Simon Greenstone is one of the premier trial law firms in the country, and I’m excited to have the opportunity to work with such a nationally prominent team of attorneys,” McCallum says. “Working for individuals and families who have experienced a tragedy is both challenging and rewarding. But I know the firm shares my passion for helping those with the greatest need.”

In addition to his legal work, McCallum is an experienced pilot and flight instructor. He also regularly volunteers with Challenge Air, SPCA of Texas, Operation Kindness and Feral Friends.

Simon Greenstone Panatier Bartlett is a nationally recognized trial law firm with a reputation for creative and aggressive representation of clients in a wide variety of catastrophic personal injury matters nationwide.

For more information, visit http://www.sgpblaw.com/ron-mccallum.html

The national law firm of Quarles & Brady LLP has announced that Chicago partner Sarah Ames has been elected to the board of Hamlin Fistula USA.

Ames is a member of the firm’s Business Law Practice Group, where she represents multinational, primarily German-speaking, companies and their U.S. subsidiaries with regard to corporate, commercial, employment, and immigration matters, the firm reported in a news release.

The Hamlin Fistula USA Foundation supports the Hamlin Fistula Hospital in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, and the Hamlin College for Midwifery, which treats women with disabling birth fistula injuries and provides lifelong care. Dr. Catherine Hamlin, who founded the hospital with her husband in 1974, has provided free surgeries for over 40,000 women and was nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize in 2014.

“Obstetric Fistula is rarely known in countries like the U.S. where there is help for women with obstructed labor. But in Ethiopia where there is often no access to doctors or midwives, obstructed labor means horrific injuries to the women and all too often the death of the babies.” said Ames. “Hamlin Fistula has given so many women a new chance at life and provides long term care for patients. I’m truly honored to be associated with such a remarkable and caring organization.”

Ames received her law degree from the University of Alabama School of Law and her master’s degree from the University of Alabama.

About Quarles & Brady LLP

Quarles & Brady is a full-service law firm with more than 475 attorneys offering an array of legal services to corporate and individual clients that range from small entrepreneurial businesses to Fortune 100 companies, with practice focuses in health care and life sciences, business law, data privacy and security, and complex litigation. The firm has offices in Chicago; Indianapolis; Madison; Milwaukee; Naples, Florida; Phoenix; Scottsdale; Tampa; Tucson; and Washington, D.C. Additional information can be found online at quarles.com, as well as on Twitter, LinkedIn, and Facebook.

Law Rocks USA, the nonprofit organization that hosts a series of epic fundraising concerts comprised entirely of bands made up of legal professionals, will be kicking off its U.S. concert series March 6 and 13 in Los Angeles.

In its fourth consecutive year, the concert will serve to promote various local nonprofit organizations represented by each band from several law firms around Los Angeles, organizers said in a news release. Taking place at the historic Whisky a Go Go venue on Sunset Strip, these legal professionals by day will let their hair down by rocking out for the real rock stars, the local nonprofit organizations. The venue is well-renowned as the concert site of some of the biggest bands in rock history including Motley Crüe, Alice Cooper, The Doors, Neil Diamond, and Guns ‘N Roses to name a few,

“When we started Law Rocks in L.A. four years ago, we never expected it to grow so rapidly,” Ted Scott, co-founder of Law Rocks USA, commented. “We are thrilled about the success of the U.S. concerts and are excited to be a part of this global organization as it continues to evolve and raise more money for the local charities.”

After seeing success from the first event in London 2009, Law Rocks brought the event to the United States in 2012. The “Battle of the Bands” format provides an opportunity for the legal community in cities around the nation to bring attention and funding to deserving local nonprofits. The winning band is selected by three factors: donations raised, judge’s score, and audience favorite. All the proceeds from the event are shared across all charities being represented, with the winning band’s designated charity receiving the largest donation of the night.

As an organization, Law Rocks has raised over US$500,000 to various nonprofits across the globe. The Los Angeles concert is the inaugural stop for 2015 Law Rocks U.S. Tour, continuing afterwards to three additional U.S. locations and four European stops. For more information you can visit the Law Rocks event site here. For any questions or inquiries, please contact Omi Turanchik, Director of Marketing and Development, at +1.424.220.4004

Law Rocks USA

Headquartered in Los Angeles, Law Rocks USA benefits local nonprofit organizations in cities across the country through fundraising concerts starring musically inclined legal professionals. Law Rocks is recognized as a non-profit corporation and qualified charity under IRS 501(c)(3). For more information visit www.lawrocks.org.

Hogan Lovells has announced that Ron Silverman has joined its Finance practice as a Business Restructuring and Insolvency (BRI) partner. He will work in the firm’s New York office.

Silverman previously practiced as a partner with Bingham McCutchen. His practice is focused on the representation of financial institutions, hedge funds, and other sophisticated investors, in the context of financial restructurings, insolvencies, and distressed acquisitions. He has handled Chapter 11 and Chapter 15 work on both the debtor and creditor side.

In a release, the firm said a significant portion of his practice involves cross-border transactions whose geographic scope spans South America, Europe, the Middle East, Africa, and Asia, with a particular focus in China. He also has experience in restructuring transactions with a concentration in the oil and gas industry.

“Ron’s practice and expertise further diversifies our already established BRI practice in New York,” said Sharon Lewis, global Finance practice group leader. “His focus in the oil and gas industry will be an incredible asset as restructurings in the industry are expected to increase in the next few years, both in the United States and abroad.”

“Hogan Lovells’ global platform and the support of the cross-border BRI practice provide an ideal opportunity to enhance my client base,” said Silverman. “As we see an increase in the numbers of cross-border restructurings, I am looking forward to working alongside such a prominent and forward-thinking global team.”

Silverman received his J.D. from University of Connecticut School of Law and his B.A. with honors from Trinity College.

About Hogan Lovells

Hogan Lovells is a leading global legal practice providing business-oriented legal advice and high-quality service across its exceptional breadth of practices to clients around the world.

“Hogan Lovells” or the “firm” is an international legal practice that includes Hogan Lovells US LLP and Hogan Lovells International LLP. For more information, see www.hoganlovells.com.

Berkman Solutions has posted a video provideing an introduction to contract management software and the company’s product, Contract Analyst.

The company provides software and services for legal and compliance risk management.

Berkman Solutions says that since it began more than10 years ago with its contract management software, Contract Analyst, its team has managed, negotiated and drafted almost $4 billion in contracts, agreements, and licenses across industries and around the world.

“Berkman Solutions are recognized experts on contracts, risks, due diligence, and legal entities,” the company says in a release. “We are lawyers, compliance experts, and business people first; technologists, second.”

Watch the video.

Jonathan L. Bing, partner in Wilson Elser

National law firm Wilson Elser appointed Partner Jonathan L. Bing, a former New York State assemblyman and Governor Cuomo appointee, to head of the New York City Government Affairs practice.

In this role, Bing will work closely with Albany Regional Managing Partner Kenneth Shapiro and Deputy Regional Managing Partner Lisa Marrello, both of whom lead the firm’s New York State Government Affairs practice, named the state’s highest grossing by the Joint Commission on Public Ethics for the past 17 years, the firm said in a release.

Bing joined Wilson Elser in 2012 after serving as special deputy superintendent in charge of the 260-employee New York Liquidation Bureau (NYLB), appointed by Governor Andrew Cuomo.

Prior to joining the NYLB, Bing was elected to the New York State Assembly for five terms, representing the Upper East Side and East Midtown Manhattan from January 2003 through June 2011. During his tenure, he authored 85 bills that passed the Assembly, 35 of which also passed the Senate and were signed into law by four New York governors.

A seasoned politician and an accomplished attorney, Bing’s understanding of the legislative process enables him to provide the firm’s clients with highly effective solutions.

Bing is a prolific writer and is often invited to speak on lobbying, regulatory issues and government affairs.

Bing has earned numerous awards and distinctions throughout his career, including an honorary doctor of law degree from LIM College, the Presidential Medal from Hunter College, and the NYU College of Nursing Health Policy and Legislation Award, among others.

Bing earned his J.D. degree from New York University School of Law (1995) and his B.A. degree from the University of Pennsylvania (1992).

Bing’s support in the New York City Government Affairs practice includes Of Counsel Jake Herring and Associate James Ansorge.

Workers accusing Apple, Google and two other Silicon Valley companies of conspiring to hold down salaries were trying Monday to win approval of a $415 million settlement from a U.S. judge who rejected an earlier deal as too low, Reuters reported.

The plaintiffs claim that Apple, Google, Intel and Adobe Systems agreed to avoid poaching each other’s employees, thus limiting job mobility and, as a result, keeping a lid on salaries.

The Reuters report says the antitrust class-action suit has been closely watched because of the possibility that big damages might be awarded and for the opportunity to peek into the world of some of the United States’ elite tech firms.

Read the story.

Deutsche Bank AG has named Steven F. Reich, a former official at the U.S. Department of Justice and attorney for former President Bill Clinton, as its general counsel for the Americas.

Reich was a partner at Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld in New York. He will join the bank in April, reporting to Deputy General Counsels Simon Dodds in London and Christof von Dryander in Frankfurt, according to Michele Allison, a spokeswoman for the bank.

His move, reported by The New York Times, comes at a critical time as the company faces criminal and civil investigations into interest rate manipulation and currency rigging.

Read the story.

MILWAUKEE, Wis. (February 26, 2015) — The national law firm of Quarles & Brady LLP announced that partners Christopher Townsend, Joel Tragesser, and Jeffrey Wolf each have received the 2015 Client Choice award from Lexology and the International Law Office (ILO).

Established in 2005, the Client Choice awards recognize partners around the world that stand apart for their excellent client service. Uniquely, these awards survey in-house senior corporate counsel only, inquiring about quality of legal advice, value delivered, commercial awareness, and effective communication. Following one-on-one interviews with clients, this year’s winners were chosen from a pool of more than 2,500 individual nominations. Only one attorney in each market is recognized for any particular practice area.

Townsend practices out of the firm’s Chicago office and is member of the Energy & Environmental Practice Group. He leads a team of energy lawyers who help clients develop projects, save costs, and manage risks in the ever-changing energy markets, assisting with strategic counseling, regulatory, litigation, transactional, and government relations matters. Townsend received his law degree, with honors, from the University of Iowa College of Law and his bachelor’s degree, cum laude, from Augustana College.

Tragesser practices out of the firm’s Indianapolis office and is a member of the Intellectual Property Practice Group. He focuses his practice on prosecuting trademark applications in the United States and foreign countries; drafting software licenses; and litigating infringement, false advertising, unfair competition, and business disputes. Tragesser received his law degree from Vanderbilt University Law School and his bachelor’s degree, magna cum laude, from Wabash College.

Wolf practices out the firm’s Phoenix office and is a member of the Franchise & Distribution Practice Group. He represents franchisors of all sizes in litigation involving breach of contract, fraud, trademark and trade dress infringement, restrictive covenants, and vicarious liability, among other claims. His practice also includes handling general commercial and employment litigation for a variety of clients. Wolf received his law degree from Washington University in St. Louis School of Law and his bachelor’s degree, cum laude, from the University of Hartford.

About ILO
Launched in 1998, ILO is the nexus where global corporate counsel engage with the world’s pre-eminent law firms, and each other. ILO is a multifaceted online resource for senior international corporate counsel, which provides tailored, quality-assured updates on global legal developments, a database of the world’s major deals and the legal advisers involved, and a comprehensive directory of firms and partners. Recognizing its unique relationship with global corporate counsel, many of the world’s premier associations have chosen to partner with ILO.

About Lexology
Launched in 2007, Lexology is a daily newsfeed of law firm client alerts, articles, and blogs delivered to the desktops of senior business lawyers worldwide on a daily basis. Lexology has built a unique audience of over 228,00 subscribers, over 60 percent of whom are in-house corporate counsel representing the vast majority of Fortune 500, FT Global 500 and FT Euro 500 companies—including all members of the Association of Corporate Counsel.

About Quarles & Brady LLP
Quarles & Brady is a full-service law firm with more than 475 attorneys offering an array of legal services to corporate and individual clients that range from small entrepreneurial businesses to Fortune 100 companies, with practice focuses in health care and life sciences, business law, data privacy and security, and complex litigation. The firm has offices in Chicago; Indianapolis; Madison; Milwaukee; Naples, Florida; Phoenix; Scottsdale; Tampa; Tucson; and Washington, D.C. Additional information can be found online at quarles.com, as well as on Twitter, LinkedIn, and Facebook.

Sherrie L. Farrell of Dykema

Dykema, a leading national law firm, announces that Sherrie Farrell has been recognized by The Michigan Chronicle as a 2015 Woman of Excellence. Farrell was selected from near hundreds of nominees to join this exclusive group of 350 of Southeast Michigan’s most-influential women.

Now in its eighth year, The Michigan Chronicle Women of Excellence Awards celebrate local African-American women who inspire others through their vision, leadership, exceptional achievements and participation in community service, Dykema says in a release. The women who are chosen for this award are champions of economic empowerment, the backbone of religious and educational organizations and the driving forces in politics and community service in southeast Michigan. The Michigan Chronicle is one of the region’s oldest, most respected African-American newspapers.

Farrell is the Office Managing Member of the firm’s Detroit office, Leader of Dykema’s Cybersecurity practice, and Chair of the firm’s Diversity and Inclusion Committee. A member of the firm’s Litigation Department, she advises clients on all aspects of business disputes, including a broad range of complex litigation matters. She has represented manufacturers, closely-held corporations, auto suppliers and construction companies in both litigated and non-litigated matters. Her practice also includes the defense of consumer financial services matters and she has served as the national discovery counsel for a Fortune 25 corporation.

“It is with great gratitude that I accept this honor as a Michigan Chronicle Woman of Excellence,” Farrell said. “I admire this respected, powerful group of women to the utmost degree and am thrilled to be their peer as we continue our hard work as businesswomen, community activists, philanthropists and entrepreneurs in the southeastern Michigan community.”

A well-known participant in her community, Farrell is a board member of the Gift of Life-Michigan Governing Board and Black Family Development, Inc. She also is an avid contributor to the Advisory Board of Minority Organ Tissue Transplant Education Program, Wayne State University’s Board of Visitors and a Mentor for the Legal Profession Diversity Pipeline Program at Just the Beginning Foundation. Farrell was also a member of the Detroit Regional Chamber of Commerce’s Leadership Detroit Class XVIII, a community leadership program for executives in southeast Michigan.

Farrell earned a J.D., cum laude, from the Detroit College of Law and a B.A. from Wayne State University.

About Dykema

Dykema serves business entities worldwide on a wide range of complex legal issues. Dykema lawyers and other professionals in 12 U.S. offices work in close partnership with clients – from start-ups to Fortune 100 companies – to deliver outstanding results, unparalleled service and exceptional value in every engagement. www.dykema.com and  Dykema on Twitter

Fish & Richardson has been named the number one most active law firm at the Patent Trial and Appeal Board (PTAB) for 2014. Fish represented clients in 154 proceedings – more than any other firm – and also ranked as the most active firm representing petitioners at the PTAB.

Inn a release, the firm said the analysis, conducted by Managing Intellectual Property (MIP) magazine, noted that 2014 was “by far” the record year for filings at the PTAB, with 1,677 inter partes review, covered business method review, and post-grant review petitions listed in the Docket Navigator database between January 1, 2014 and December 31, 2014.

“Fish brings a potent combination of technical know-how, patent prosecution skills, and litigation savvy to the PTAB,” said Karl Renner, co-chair of Fish & Richardson’s Post-Grant Practice Group.

Read the story.

A federal court jury in Marshall, Texas, found in favor of Rembrandt IP in a patent infringement case, finding that Samsung’s Bluetooth-enabled products, including its most popular cell phones, tablets, and televisions, infringe Gordon Bremer’s patents.

The patents relate to compatibility between different types of modems, and connect to a string of applications going back to 1997. The first version of Bluetooth was invented by Swedish cell phone company Ericsson in 1994.

Bremer stands to get 2.5 percent of the $15.7 million verdict [PDF] won by his employer, Rembrandt IP, one of the oldest and most successful “patent trolls,” reports Ars Technica.

Read the story.