Dr. Pallavi Seth, Principal at The Brattle Group and Co-Leader of the firm’s Intellectual Property practice, welcomes Beau Jackson, Partner at Husch Blackwell and leader of its Section 337 practice, to discuss the evolving landscape of intellectual property enforcement at the US International Trade Commission (ITC).
Pallavi and Beau review the legal and economic nuances of Section 337, focusing on the domestic industry requirement – what it means, why it matters, and how it has shifted through landmark Federal Circuit decisions. The conversation highlights recent guidance on what constitutes a significant domestic industry, including the pivotal Lashify case and Beau’s success in the Ventria Bioscience matter.
The episode also explores the implications of sales, marketing, and distribution activities, changing thresholds for economic significance, and the broader policy environment influencing the ITC today. Beau and Pallavi provide insights for practitioners and experts navigating complex intellectual property (IP) and trade landscapes.
The opinions expressed are those of the speakers and do not necessarily reflect the views of their employer or its clients. This podcast is for general information purposes and is not intended to be and should not be taken as legal advice.
Timestamped Overview
00:00 Federal Circuit Affirms No Threshold
03:57 Understanding Section 337 Litigation
07:06 Domestic Industry Requirement Explained
12:48 ITC Case Success Factors
16:20 Lashify ITC Case Summary
19:47 ITC Challenges Federal Circuit Ruling
22:35 ITC Domestic Industry Rule Shift
26:37 No Minimum Threshold for Patent Protection
27:55 Patent Practice Dispute Reduces Allocation
31:19 Has There Been An Uptick in Section 337 Filings?