On Patent Damages and Apportionment In two recent cases, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit provided important guidance when applying apportionment principles to calculate reasonable royalty damages. See Finjan, Inc. v. Blue Coat Systems, Inc., 879 F.3d 1299 (Fed. Cir. 2018); Exmark Mfg. Co. v. Briggs & Stratton Power Products Group, LLC, 879 F.3d 1332 (Fed. Cir. 2018). The Federal Circuit signaled greater flexibility when apportioning damages, which may permit using the royalty rate and not just the royalty base, to value a patented invention’s contribution to a larger, multicomponent product. The Circuit also reaffirmed, however, that…
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First, Define a Computer Use Policy for Your Firm How can you best protect against IP theft—or simple misuse—by employees? Karl Epps explains that a solid first step is defining a computer use policy establishing approved policies and protocols for removable media, offsite storage, remote access, and laptops. Here’s an overview of common problem areas and software and policies that can help best address them.