65th CHIZAI (IP) Seminar

NEDO Silicon Valley hosted a hybrid (in-person/online) IP seminar titled “The Interaction of IPRs with Parallel Litigation” as part of the Bay Area CHIZAI (IP) Seminar Series. 

Presenter: 

Joseph A. Micallef, Partner, Axinn, Veltrop & Harkrider LLP  

Brian P. Johnson, Partner, Axinn, Veltrop & Harkrider LLP 

Inter Partes Review (IPR) proceedings are a valuable tool for companies accused of patent infringement.  Since their debut under the America Invents Act, IPRs have been a go-to defense tactic in district court and International Trade Commission (ITC) patent cases, invalidating thousands of claims and often pausing litigation for years. 

But the playbook is changing.  IPRs are no longer a one-size-fits-all response.  Based on updated discretionary denial rules issued from the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO), defendants now need to consider Fintiv timing factors, “settled expectations” of the patentee, and other considerations, to determine the best strategy.   

In this CHIZAI seminar, we explored the interplay of IPRs with parallel litigation, including stays in the district court, estoppel under section 315(e) as well as the latest update from USPTO Guidance on decisions on whether to institute IPRs. 

Joseph A. Micallef shared key insights in his presentation on interactions of IPRs and parallel litigation, including the overviews of patent litigations in the U.S., stays in district court in view of IPRs, discretionary denial of IPRs and recent development thereof, as well as IPR estoppel under section 315(e). Brian P. Johnson discussed aspects of IPRs in the context of ITC investigations, focusing on the expeditious nature of ITC proceedings and the timing and interplay with IPR proceedings. 

Throughout this event, we learned how IPR proceedings can run in parallel with patent litigation in district court and ITC. The participants gained deeper insights for outlining optimal strategies to prepare for patent disputes in the U.S., including the nature of each venue and recent updates on IPRs and parallel litigations

We are deeply grateful to our exceptional speakers and sincerely thank all attendees who joined us in-person and online. We hope to see you at our next event!