When litigation is filed outside a lawyer’s home jurisdiction, local counsel is often brought in because the rules require it. Someone admitted in the forum may need to sponsor admission, appear on the pleadings, receive court notices, and help ensure compliance with local procedures. That practical role matters. But local counsel can also provide useful perspective beyond the formal requirements of admission and filing. That practical role has become more important in a liti

In recent years, inter partes review, or IPR, has been the best-known Patent Office procedure for challenging issued patent claims. Now, recent developments at the USPTO have made ex parte reexamination worth a closer look. Why the renewed interest? The Patent Office has recently changed how it handles discretionary denial issues in IPR and post-grant review proceedings. In 2025, the USPTO announced an interim process that separates discretionary-denial issues from the merits

Few things are more unsettling than receiving a complaint alleging trade secret misappropriation. Whether you’re a company or an...

You know how to handle the substance of your complex federal litigation matters. But your client has been sued or wants to sue another in federal court in the Eastern District of Michigan or the Western District of Michigan. The local rules require local counsel, and do not permit pro hac vice admission. Expectations Anyone can act as a maildrop. When you are selecting local counsel for your extended team, you may seek attorneys who can provide more value. Such value can come

Your brands distinguish your company from the competition. They are a symbol of your quality and reputation in the marketplace. That’s why they are important. Your most valuable brands can be protected by state, federal, and foreign trademarks. When someone knocks off your marks with inferior products, they harm your reputation and dilute your brand. They cause confusion as to the source of goods and services. That’s when it’s time to enforce. Trademark Enforcement Strategy