News & Press

Harper & Bates LLP is pleased to announce partner Shannon Bates was appointed as a “Master of the Bench” in the Honorable Barbara M.G. Lynn American Inn of Court. Masters include judges, law professors, and experienced attorneys with at least 16 years of practice. It is the highest level of membership within an Inn of Court, and Bates was the only…

Harper & Bates LLP is excited to announce that partner Scott Harper will present "IP 101 - Patents, Trademarks and Copyrights" at the upcoming Texas Advanced Paralegal Seminar (TAPS) on Thursday, October 5, 2017. This seminar is one of the largest gatherings of legal and paralegal professionals in Texas, and features speakers who are sought after for their in-depth knowledge of topics that impact…

Harper & Bates LLP partner Shannon Bates was recently published in Manufacturing Engineering, a magazine serving U.S. engineers and other manufacturing professionals. The article, “A Legal, Cultural Framework for Protecting Innovation, IP,” discusses the importance of developing a framework for safeguarding IP assets through patent or trade secret protections, as well as how patents and trade secrets differ from one…

Harper & Bates LLP partner Scott Harper spoke at the Professional Outdoor Media Association’s (POMA) 12th Annual Business Conference on June 15, in Shreveport-Bossier, La. Harper’s presentation titled “Intellectual Property Field Guide,” focused on how to protect and enforce intellectual property rights in visual and written media. Harper was able to relate to a number of conference attendees, as his…

A version of this article, which was written by Austin Champion, originally appeared in the April 2017 edition of Texas Lawyer. With the enactment of the Defend Trade Secrets Act of 2016 (DTSA), federal courts are now wide open for trade secret litigation. Nearly a year later, courts have already started interpreting the act, providing valuable insights for practitioners. In 2016, the Fifth…

The U.S. Supreme Court provided additional guidance on what industrial designs can and cannot be copyrighted in a recent decision involving cheerleading uniforms. Courts previously interpreted the Copyright Act as providing copyright protection for original works of art but not for industrial designs. In Star Athletica v. Varsity Brands, the court clarified where art ends and industrial design begins.…

In what could be considered a win for patent holders, the U.S. Supreme Court this week eliminated a common defense to patent infringement claims. The Court's ruling in SCA Hygiene Products Aktiebolag v. First Quality Baby Products, LLC precludes defendants from asserting the defense of laches in response to claims for damages brought within the Patent Act’s six-year…

The Supreme Court has agreed to hear an appeal that could change the landscape of patent case venue selection across the country. The appeal of TC Heartland, LLC v. Kraft Food Group Brands LLC, questions whether patent infringement cases must be brought in the district in which the alleged infringer is incorporated or whether cases may continue to be brought…

Harper & Bates LLP achieved a rare victory this week when the Patent Trial and Appeal Board denied institution on five of six petitions for Inter Partes Review (IPR) filed by the U.S. Department of Justice against its client. In a unique effort by a government agency to leverage the America Invents Act, the DOJ petitioned the PTAB to review…

Harper & Bates LLP is pleased to announce that partner Shannon Bates, have been invited to serve as faculty members of the 54th Annual Intellectual Property Law Conference. The Conference will be held November 14-15, 2016, in Plano, Texas, hosted by the Center for American and International Law (CAIL). Each year, the conference attracts top IP speakers, practitioners, judges, and professionals from…