1) Free: U.S. deputy antitrust chief: “totally different approach from U.S. and EU side” to licensing negotiation groups

The divergence between U.S. and EU antitrust enforcers on the question of licensing negotiation groups could hardly become clearer. ip fray’s views are materially consistent with the U.S. government’s perspective.

2) Partly premium: UPC Mannheim LD agrees with UK judge on Amazon’s declaration being “nonsense” but refrains from imposing sanctions at this point: comity

Amazon is not being fined for now. But it is not off the hook. Today’s order involves a clear contempt-of-court holding.

3) Free: Open letter by leading UPC firm reflects intense debate over how to achieve more balanced distribution of cases across first-instance venues

ip fray supports (and has indeed promoted on several occasions) the idea of a more balanced docket distribution across the UPC’s first-instance divisions. The only quesation is how to get there without weakening the UPC on the bottom line.

This article discusses the ideas that are being floated and presents alternative approaches, such as the idea of UPC divisions with only one local judge providing greater predictability by offering "slots" where all three (or at least two) legally qualfied judges as well as interim conference and hearing dates are known beforehand and available on a first-come-first-serve basis.

4) Free: Fractus, Verizon settle IoT patent infringement litigation in Eastern District of Texas

Fractus today announced it has settled its 14-month patent litigation with Verizon in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Texas.

5) Premium: CAT claps back at Korean rival with patent infringement suit in Eastern District of Texas

Caterpillar, Inc. (CAT) has filed a counterclaim suit against South Korean machinery manufacturer Doosan Bobcat over the alleged infringement of six of its patents related to improving earthmoving machinery in response to a global enforcement campaign that Bobcat initiated in December.