Joel Bock

is a partner in Dentons’ Intellectual Property and Technology (IPT) practice. Joel's practice focuses on counseling companies in various industry sectors, including life sciences, manufacturing, software, semiconductors, nanotechnology, telecommunications, publishing, automotive, packaging and optics, regarding a wide range of intellectual property issues and structuring and negotiating transactions involving IP assets, including mergers and acquisitions, initial public offerings, private placements, strategic investments, licensing and strategic alliances.

Recent Articles by

Supreme Court Eliminates Key Defense in Many Patent Infringement Suits

In a strong reversal of the Federal Circuit, the US Supreme Court held in SCA Hygiene Products Aktiebolag v First Quality Baby Products, LLC, No. 15-927 (March 21, 2017), that delay by a patentee will not give rise to a laches defense during the statutory six-year damages period under 35 U.S.C. § 286. Justice Samuel Alito authored the 7–1 majority opinion, extending the court’s decision in Petrella v. Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, Inc. (2014), which held that laches is inapplicable for copyright infringement, a provision similar to Section 286 of the Patent Act… The Supreme Court noted that its determination regarding laches does not preclude a defense based on equitable estoppel…

March 28, 2017

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