Insights

Chicago – December 12, 2024: Crowell partner Marc V. Richards and counsel Adam D. Sussman recently authored the lead chapter in the 2025 edition of the Illinois Institute of Continuing Legal Education’s Intellectual Property Law Handbook. The chapter, titled “Patenting Inventions,” covers the basics of what a patent is and what it can protect, and provides a detailed roadmap for evaluating inventions and the process to obtain a U.S. patent.

Washington – June 30, 2022: Intellectual Asset Management recognized Crowell & Moring in its IAM Patent 1000 – The World’s Leading Patent Practitioners guide, awarding the firm a gold band ranking as one of the top four firms handling patent litigation and transactions in Belgium, and a silver ranking for the firm’s Chicago office. This marks the ninth consecutive year that the firm has been ranked in the guide in Belgium. The guide also recommended Brussels partner Kristof Roox in the gold band; partner Jan-Diederik Lindemans in the silver band; and senior counsel Jurgen Figys in the bronze band.

On June 10, 2025, the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) published a final rule that will discontinue the Accelerated Examination program for utility applications, beginning July 10, 2025. The final rule also modifies the rules of practice to clarify the grounds for which a petition to make special may be granted and when a fee is required for such a petition. Currently, Applicants have several ways to expedite examination of their patent applications. For example, an Applicant can expedite examination of utility patent applications by either petitioning to make their application special through the Accelerated Examination program or by applying through the Prioritized Patent Examination Program (“Track One” program).

In 2023 and 2024, several U.S. states enacted extensive “Right to Repair” laws, reflecting a growing legislative focus on ensuring consumers have access to the parts and resources needed to repair their own products without relying on the product’s original manufacturer. Most recently, California, Colorado, Minnesota, New York, Massachusetts, and Oregon implemented comprehensive regulations aimed at providing consumers direct access to tools, parts, and information for the repair of various electronic devices and equipment, including digital products and agricultural machinery. As the “Right to Repair” movement continues to gain significant traction across the United States, it is critical that manufacturers understand these laws and how these laws will impact their individual businesses.

The Federal Circuit recently denied a petition for rehearing en banc in the much watched In re Cellect matter.  The landmark panel decision determined how obviousness-type double patenting (“ODP”) is impacted when patent term adjustment (“PTA”) is added to the term of one or more patents in a family under 35 U.S.C. § 154(b), resulting in different terms for the family member patents that would otherwise expire on the same day.

Partner Deborah Yellin and Senior Counsel Dr. Mary Anne Schofield, will be presenting "Biosimilar Biological Products" as part of the Food and Drug Law Institute’s Introduction to Biologics and Biosimilars Law and Regulation course in Washington, D.C., October 1-2. The two-day course explores the regulation of biological products, including biotechnology–derived therapeutic proteins, human tissue, gene, and cell products. Attendees will also gain a comprehensive understanding of the various administrative agencies that impact these industries. 

Cybersecurity is a key concern for all innovative companies and an incident response plan is critical for any company with connected products. Please join Crowell & Moring and industry insiders on May 8 for a discussion on best practices in incident response as we walk through a timeline of a cyber-attack on an autonomous vehicle. We will respond to a realistic intrusion scenario, strategically minimize vulnerabilities, and address multi-disciplinary points of view and decision-making—cybersecurity, regulatory, transactional, and intellectual property—related to autonomous vehicle technology development and deployment. Learn real time incident response, consider effective strategies, and formulate best practices to reach your end goal and ensure minimal risk to your autonomous vehicle business and investments—all in an informal and entertaining setting.  

&Motion sits with Crowell's Jacob Bachman to discuss design patents and their relevance to the transportation industry.