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Inside Mickey Hart’s Brain: How Tech and Neuroscience Are Converging
March 28, 2014
As highlighted by SXSW this week, health is becoming a major focal point for technology entrepreneurs and investors. The health care and medical industry — from the research of new treatments to patient care — is poised for dramatic disruption, as more money and effort goes into the development of sensors, robotics and big data software. Change could come from the collision of unusual bedfellows, such as academic institutions and gaming companies, and the creative application of emerging technologies...
March 28, 2014
As highlighted by SXSW this week, health is becoming a major focal point for technology entrepreneurs and investors. The health care and medical industry — from the research of new treatments to patient care — is poised for dramatic disruption, as more money and effort goes into the development of sensors, robotics and big data software. Change could come from the collision of unusual bedfellows, such as academic institutions and gaming companies, and the creative application of emerging technologies...
Jury Orders Google Must Pay $85 Million in Patent Infringement Claim
March 28, 2014
It was an expensive day—perhaps even an expensive week—for Google Inc. last Thursday. A federal jury decided that the search engine giant owes $85 million in damages to SimpleAir for infringing on their patent, according to a recent statement. The trial and the separate damage ruling were both presided over by Judge Rodney Gilstrap for the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Texas. “The jury understood that Google profits tremendously from its infringing use of our invention...
March 28, 2014
It was an expensive day—perhaps even an expensive week—for Google Inc. last Thursday. A federal jury decided that the search engine giant owes $85 million in damages to SimpleAir for infringing on their patent, according to a recent statement. The trial and the separate damage ruling were both presided over by Judge Rodney Gilstrap for the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Texas. “The jury understood that Google profits tremendously from its infringing use of our invention...
Arbitration: Be Careful What You Wish For
March 28, 2014
An arbitration decision cannot be overturned merely because the arbitrator commits legal error. Thus, the losing party may be blindsided...
March 28, 2014
An arbitration decision cannot be overturned merely because the arbitrator commits legal error. Thus, the losing party may be blindsided...
The Daily Routines of Geniuses
March 28, 2014
As I read, I became convinced that for these geniuses, a routine was more than a luxury — it was essential to their work. As Currey puts it, “A solid routine fosters a well-worn groove for one’s mental energies and helps stave off the tyranny of moods.” And although the book itself is a delightful hodgepodge of trivia, not a how-to manual, I began to notice several common elements in the lives of the healthier geniuses (the ones who relied more on discipline than on, say, booze and Benzedrine)...
March 28, 2014
As I read, I became convinced that for these geniuses, a routine was more than a luxury — it was essential to their work. As Currey puts it, “A solid routine fosters a well-worn groove for one’s mental energies and helps stave off the tyranny of moods.” And although the book itself is a delightful hodgepodge of trivia, not a how-to manual, I began to notice several common elements in the lives of the healthier geniuses (the ones who relied more on discipline than on, say, booze and Benzedrine)...
Researchers Use Electricity to Stimulate Troops’ Brains
March 27, 2014
Tired troops may get a jolt out of a late-night caffeine boost, but researchers at the Air Force Research Laboratory say they may have found a better way to fight fatigue. A mild electric stimulation has proven in a research study of about 175 volunteers to be more effective for longer times than caffeine, said R. Andy McKinley, a 711th Human Performance Wing biomedical engineer in the Human Effectiveness Directorate. “We found this really helps keep your attention on task,” McKinley said.
March 27, 2014
Tired troops may get a jolt out of a late-night caffeine boost, but researchers at the Air Force Research Laboratory say they may have found a better way to fight fatigue. A mild electric stimulation has proven in a research study of about 175 volunteers to be more effective for longer times than caffeine, said R. Andy McKinley, a 711th Human Performance Wing biomedical engineer in the Human Effectiveness Directorate. “We found this really helps keep your attention on task,” McKinley said.
Lande on Advancing Negotiation Theory
March 27, 2014
John Lande (Missouri) has posted “A Framework for Advancing Negotiation Theory: Implications from a Study of How Lawyers Reach Agreement in Pretrial Litigation” on SSRN. The abstract: The prevailing negotiation theory tries to fit lots of square pegs into just two round holes – adversarial or cooperative bargaining. In the real world, negotiation comes in many different shapes, not just circles and squares. Analyzing law school textbook definitions of the traditional models, this article...
March 27, 2014
John Lande (Missouri) has posted “A Framework for Advancing Negotiation Theory: Implications from a Study of How Lawyers Reach Agreement in Pretrial Litigation” on SSRN. The abstract: The prevailing negotiation theory tries to fit lots of square pegs into just two round holes – adversarial or cooperative bargaining. In the real world, negotiation comes in many different shapes, not just circles and squares. Analyzing law school textbook definitions of the traditional models, this article...
After Agreeing to Mediators’ Proposal, Party Bound by Silence on Settlement Agreement
March 27, 2014
A fee-splitting dispute among some fifty law firms was resolved at the end of a difficult mediation when all parties finally accepted the mediators’ proposal for dividing fees. When the settlement agreement was drafted, however, one lawyer tweaked the terms and then was silent as the agreement moved forward and was signed by all other parties. Applying Illinois law, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit affirmed the district court’s conclusion that based on the parties’ long course...
March 27, 2014
A fee-splitting dispute among some fifty law firms was resolved at the end of a difficult mediation when all parties finally accepted the mediators’ proposal for dividing fees. When the settlement agreement was drafted, however, one lawyer tweaked the terms and then was silent as the agreement moved forward and was signed by all other parties. Applying Illinois law, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit affirmed the district court’s conclusion that based on the parties’ long course...
Lag in IP Awards Pegged to Federal Circuit Ruling
March 27, 2014
For the first time in years, intellectual property cases contributed no billion-dollar jury verdicts in 2013. In fact, IP recoveries decreased significantly both in number and in dollar amount when compared with 2012. The decrease in IP verdicts could reflect judges' interpretation of recent rulings by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit that make it harder to prove damages, according to plaintiff-side lawyers.
March 27, 2014
For the first time in years, intellectual property cases contributed no billion-dollar jury verdicts in 2013. In fact, IP recoveries decreased significantly both in number and in dollar amount when compared with 2012. The decrease in IP verdicts could reflect judges' interpretation of recent rulings by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit that make it harder to prove damages, according to plaintiff-side lawyers.
Antitrust Topples IP For Largest Awards
March 27, 2014
The top verdict in the country came in antitrust law: A $1.2 billion award against The Dow Chemical Co. in a case involving...
March 27, 2014
The top verdict in the country came in antitrust law: A $1.2 billion award against The Dow Chemical Co. in a case involving...
Judge Bransten Weighs in on Litigation Financing in NY
March 26, 2014
Judge Eileen Bransten issued a recent decision in New York County Supreme court, weighing in on the long-standing and, as yet, unsettled question of how alternative litigation financing (ALF) should be treated in NY state. In Litigation Funding LLC v. Jeffrey Lessoff, No. 650757/2012. The defendants in the case argued that a cash advance secured by interests in contingent fees in specific cases would be an ethical violation of 5.4(a). In her decision, Judge Bransten speaks favorably of the ALF industry,...
March 26, 2014
Judge Eileen Bransten issued a recent decision in New York County Supreme court, weighing in on the long-standing and, as yet, unsettled question of how alternative litigation financing (ALF) should be treated in NY state. In Litigation Funding LLC v. Jeffrey Lessoff, No. 650757/2012. The defendants in the case argued that a cash advance secured by interests in contingent fees in specific cases would be an ethical violation of 5.4(a). In her decision, Judge Bransten speaks favorably of the ALF industry,...
