In 1946, the United States Congress enacted the Lanham Act to create a registry and provide protections for certain forms of intellectual property and protect consumers from unfair competition. Damages arising from Lanham Act claims can be severe. In Dewberry Group, Inc. v. Dewberry Engineers Inc., an unusually unified Supreme Court addressed how disgorgement can be constrained. In 1946, the United States Congress enacted the Lanham Act (15 U.S.C. §§1051 et seq.) (the “Act”) to create a registry and provide protections for certain forms of intellectual property and protect consumers from unfair competition. While typically limited to disgorgement of the…
-
-
This article provides an in-depth review of a recent infringement, unfair competition and cybersquatting where Plaintiff sought disgorgement of profits. The case highlights procedural and substantive arguments advanced during litigation and basis the Court used to partly disqualify the testimony of defendant’s expert witness. It also serves as a caution and learning opportunity for current and prospective financial damages expert witnesses. Plaintiff, Mission1st Group, Inc. (“M1G”), owns the federally registered trademark MISSION1st in connection with business advisory, information, technology, telecommunications, engineering support, and risk mitigation services. Plaintiff provides these services to a variety of entities, including serving as a government…
-
Considerations for Fair Market Value Healthcare enterprises are increasingly relying on intangible assets to enhance their ability to provide timely, quality professional medical services to patients. Trade secrets are one such class of intangible asset that may be owned by a healthcare enterprise. A trade secret is any information that has economic value and is not generally known by the public. Technical and specialty research may be considered the “work-in-progress” of patents, copyrights, trademarks, or other intangible assets, and this research usually entails the use of trade secrets, i.e., special “know how” that is often protected (or padlocked), in contrast…
-
Differences Between the Two Values Damages remedies often focus on lost profits and lost business value, with such remedies typically calculated by financial experts. There continues to be a trend in the courts to preclude experts from testifying, or to disregard them altogether because their opinion does not meet the reasonable certainty standard. Either of these outcomes can be a devastating result for the client. These results occur, in part, from a lack in understanding of the proper calculation of lost profits or lost value. A relevant and reliable opinion, able to withstand the court’s scrutiny in litigation, needs to…