Tracking Northern District of Illinois IP Cases
Judge Durkin construed seven disputed terms across three patents involving a hands-free breast milk collection device and a related valve, rejecting indefiniteness challenges and clarifying several scope disputes in this patent matter.
Of particular note…
Judge Durkin denied Shenzhen’s motion to amend to add inequitable conduct counterclaims, holding the proposed amendments were futile for failure to plead but-for materiality and specific intent under the Federal Circuit’s tightened Therasense standard.
Shenzhen…
Societe Pour Loeuvre et la Memoire Dantoine de Saint Exupery – Succession De Saint Exupery-Dagay v. Schedule A Does, No. 25 C 579, Slip Op. (N.D. Ill. Oct. 3, 2025) (Durkin, J.).
Judge Durkin denied a Schedule A defendant’s motion to dismiss trademark claims centering on “The Little Prince,” novella rejecting arguments under Fed.
FameFlynet, Inc. v. Jasmine Enters. Inc., No. 17 C 4749, Slip Op. (N.D. Ill. Aug. 8, 2019) (Durkin, J.)
Judge Durkin granted plaintiff FameFlynet’s motions for attorney’s fees as the prevailing party in this copyright dispute involving celebrity wedding photos, and granted in part defendant Jasmine’s motion to strike FameFlynet’s motion.
Upon learning of…
This is a cross-post written by my partner Anthony Fuga from Holland & Knight’s Section 101 Blog. I am cross-posting because Anthony’s post is about a Judge Durkin 101 opinion in FYF-JB, LLC v. Pet Factory, Inc., No. 19cv2608 (N.D. Ill.). I am also posting it because Anthony’s 101 analysis at the Section…
Next Level SportSystems, Inc. v. S&S Activewear, LLC, et al., No. 18 C 5926, Slip Op. (N.D. Ill. Mar. 7, 2019) (Durkin, J.).
Judge Durkin granted defendant YS Garments LLC’s Fed. R. Civ. P. 12(b)(7) motion to dismiss for failure to join Sierra Sportswear, Inc., the co-owner of plaintiff Next Level’s trademark-in-suit as a…
Cascades AV LLC v. Evertz Microsystems Ltd., No. 17 C 7881, Slip Op. (N.D. Ill. Jan. 11, 2019) (Durkin, J.).
Judge Durkin denied defendants’ Fed. R. Civ. P. 12(b)(6) motion to dismiss plaintiff’s patent infrignement claims in this patent case involving lip-synching patents and defendant Everetz’s accused fingerprint reading systems.
Direct Infringement
Citing Disc…
As part of the Northern District of Illinois’ continuing 200th anniversary celebration, the Northern District of Illinois Court Historical Association, the Seventh Circuit Bar Association, and the Federal Bar Association are hosting a program on March 20, 2019 from 3:00-4:30 pm CT in courtroom 2525 highlighting federal judicial trailblazers:
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The Northern District of Illinois has a critical number of vacancies. Judge St. Eve just left for the Seventh Circuit. Judge Zagel took senior status in October 2016. Judge Zagel took senior status in March 2017 and passed away shortly thereafter. Judge Der-Yeghiayan retired in February 2018. Senior Judge Shadur (who maintained a very full…
The Northern District, along with the Chicago Bar Association and in conjunction with the Women’s Bar Association of Illinois and the Black Women Lawyers’ Association, are sponsoring a free program, “May it Please the Court:” Symposium on Women Lawyers in the Courtroom.
It is being held from 12:30-5:15pm CT on April 12, 2018, at the…
