Prosecution Laches: No Good Deed Goes Unpunished!

The Federalist Society is hosting a webinar titled "Prosecution Laches: No Good Deed Goes Unpunished!" on April 17, 2025, at 1:30 p.m. EDT. This event will delve into the doctrine of prosecution laches, an equitable principle that can render a patent unenforceable if the patentee has unreasonably delayed prosecution, thereby prejudicing others. The discussion will be particularly relevant in light of the Sonos Inc. v. Google LLC case, where the district court found Sonos' patents unenforceable due to prosecution laches, despite 13 years of diligent continuation applications.

Key topics will include the implications of prosecution laches on current continuation practices, the balance between patent prosecution timelines and innovation, and the potential impact of recent court decisions on patent holders and applicants. The webinar aims to provide a comprehensive understanding of how prosecution laches intersects with patent law and its significance for the intellectual property landscape.

The event will feature esteemed speakers such as Joseph Matal, Principal at Clear IP, LLC; Paul Michel, Former Chief Judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit; and Gene Quinn, President & CEO of IPWatchdog, Inc. The discussion will be moderated by Jeffrey Depp, Policy Consultant at the Center for Strategic and International Studies. Attendees will have the opportunity to engage with these experts, gaining valuable insights into the complexities of prosecution laches and its practical applications.

This webinar is ideal for patent attorneys, intellectual property professionals, legal scholars, and innovators seeking to understand the nuances of prosecution laches and its potential effects on patent strategy and enforcement. Participants will benefit from expert analyses and discussions on navigating the challenges posed by this doctrine in the evolving patent landscape.