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InsidePatentTrolls-Page1EmergencyMotionsinFederalCourts-Page6Comcastv.Behrend-Page5LawSchoolDeansChemerinskyandTacha-Page15PatentInfringementLitigationThePatentTrollPhenomenonByMichaelJ.StimsonandMarthaK.Gooding1PatenttrollsmorepolitelycalledpatentassertionentitiesPAEsornon-practicingentitiesNPEshavechangedthepatentinfringe-mentlitigationlandscape.Theyalsocontinuetomakeheadlinesalthoughnotalwaysofthepositivekind.PAEsdonotmakeorsellproductsthatincorporatethepatentedinventionandaregenerallydefinedasentitieswhoseprimarybusinessmodelisbuyingpatentsforthepurposeofsuingonthem.PresidentObamacalledthemoutinhisMarch2013Google-sponsoredfiresidehangoutforhijackingtheideasofothersandextortingmoneysuggestingtheyareoneoftheproblemsthatremaintobeaddressedafterthe2011patentreformlegislation.AWhiteHouseTaskForceonHigh-TechPatentIssuesfollowedthatupwithaseriesoflegislativerecommen-dationsandexecutiveactionsdesignedtoprotectinnovatorsfromfrivolouslitigationandensurethehighest-qualitypatentsinoursys-tem.2CongresshasheldhearingsonabusivelitigationbyPAEsandseveralbillswererecentlyintroducedwiththeintentionofcurbingPAElitigationthroughforexamplegreaterattorneysfeeshiftingorexpandedadministrativepost-grantreviewproceduresforcertaintypesofpatents.Academicshaveweighedintooonere-centstudyconcludedthatPAEshaveanetnegativeeffectoninno-vationandimposeddirectcostsonU.S.businessesof29billionin2011alone.3EvenChiefJudgeRandallRaderoftheCourtofAp-pealsfortheFederalCircuithascalledforgreatercontrolofpatenttrolls.4OfcoursePAEsarenotwithouttheirdefenders.PAEsinsistthattheybenefitthepatentsystemandinfactencourageinnovationbyprovidingamarketforpatentswhichinturnbenefitsandrewardsinventorsandconsolidatingpatentsintoportfoliosthatmanufactur-erscanlicenseasawholeratherthannegotiatingpatentthicketspiecemeal.AsforpurportedlyinflatedPAEdamagesawardsitisnoteworthythatthemediandamagesawardfrom2006-2011de-ContinuedonPage7TheNewsletteroftheFederalBarAssociationOrangeCountyChapterFall2013