Yi Yao

Yi Yao is a summer associate focusing on Patent Infringement Litigation. Yi is registered to practice before USPTO. Yi Yao is a 3L at University of California Davis, School of Law. Prior to law school, Yi spent over four years at a biotech company, researching and developing small molecule drug delivery platforms. During law school, Yi interned for Technology Transfer Office at UC Davis, focusing on patent prosecution and technology transactional work. Yi participated in Business Plan...

Russell Schmidt – President of Extenda Communications Corporation

“I hired Garteiser Honea after Extenda Communications was sued for indemnification. The attorneys at Garteiser Honea were quick, responsive and affordable. Unlike with most firms, I was always in direct communication with the senior level attorneys about the status of my case. I can’t recommend them highly enough!” Russell Schmidt – President of Extenda Communications...

Johnny R. Thomas – Blue Earth CEO / President

“Garteiser Honea did an excellent job handling my business litigation dispute!” Johnny R. Thomas – Blue Earth CEO /...

Aaron Grimes – Freqwent CEO / Co-Founder

“I came to Garteiser Honea with a litigation issue. These guys told me what they were going to do, executed the plan, and obtained a great result! I have already used them again on a new litigation matter.” Aaron Grimes – Freqwent CEO /...

Raul Rubio – iShopUSA CEO

“Garteiser Honea defended my company, iShopUSA, Inc., in a patent infringement lawsuit adverse DE Technologies. They did an excellent job of controlling costs and were actually under budget. The case resolved on favorable terms for us, thanks to the firm’s excellent briefing.” Raul Rubio – iShopUSA...

Artist Rides Off Satisfied with Harley-Davidson Resolution

(Sunday, October 21, 2012 – Milwaukee, WI) Just six months after free-lance artist Wayne Peterson filed a copyright infringement suit against motorcycle giant Harley-Davidson, a resolution has been reached to Peterson’s satisfaction. In Peterson’s lawsuit he contended that in 1985, Harley commissioned him to create a graphic work—the famous “Live To Ride” logo—for a one-time one-run basis on carburetor covers.  In 1991, Harley commissioned another work from Peterson for its...

Artist Successful At Defeating Harley-Davidson’s Attempt to Dismiss IP Case

(Thursday, August 2, 2012 – Milwaukee, WI) As reported in IPLAW360 and dealernews.com, represented by Garteiser Honea, free-lance artist Wayne Peterson successfully defeated a motion to dismiss filed in a copyright infringement lawsuit against motorcycle giant Harley-Davidson Motor Company, who was represented by Finnegan, Henderson, Farabow, Garrett & Dunner, LLP and Bryan Cave LLP.   See Peterson v. Harley-Davidson Inc., et al, Case No. 2:12-cv-00381, Dkt 16 (E.D. WI July 31,...

Harley-Davidson

has been denied in its Motion to Dismiss the claims of copyright holder Wayne Peterson, the creator of the well-known “Live to Ride” logo and a Garteiser Honea client.  Motorcycle giant Harley-Davidson Motor Company was represented by Finnegan, Henderson, Farabow, Garrett & Dunner, LLP and Bryan Cave LLP.    See Peterson v. Harley-Davidson Inc., et al, Case No. 2:12-cv-00381, Dkt. No. 16 (E.D. WI July 31,...

DE Technologies Inc.

has settled in a patent infringement lawsuit to the satisfaction of Garteiser Honea’s client iShopUSA Services, Inc. in DE Technologies, Inc. v. iShopUSA Services, Inc. and International Checkout, Inc., Case No. 7:11-cv-00183-GEC (W.D. VA July 10,...

Fox Technologies

resolved a contract dispute to the satisfaction of Garteiser Honea’s tech client Aptus GRC LLC in Fox Technologies v. Aptus GRC LLC, Superior Court of California, County of Santa Clara, Case No. 111CIV212703 (Jun. 13,...

NASDAQ Faces Legal Liability for its Technical Problems with Facebook’s IPO

(Sunday, May 20, 2012 – New York, NY) According to Wall Street Journal reporters Jenny Strasburg, Jacob Bunge and Gina Chon, NASDAQ officials admitted that its system suffered technology problems that impacted trading in millions of shares of Facebook on its May 18th IPO.  “This was not our finest hour,” said NASDAQ OMX Group Chief Executive Robert Greifeld. The main problem, he said, was a malfunction in the trading-system’s design for processing order cancellations.  Id....

Lawsuit filed against Harley-Davidson for Copyright Infringement

(Wednesday, April 25, 2012  – Milwaukee, WI) Artist Wayne Peterson filed a lawsuit today against Harley Davidson for Copyright Infringement.  See 001 Complaint for Copyright Infringement against Harley Davidson. Peterson, who formerly did business as Peterson Studios Ltd., is a freelance commercial artist. From the mid 1970s to the mid 2000s, Harley-Davidson commissioned Peterson, as an independent contractor, to produce more than 600 pictorial, graphic, sculptural, and other works....

Chris Johns Wins Complete Defense Verdict In Securities Litigation

(Sunday, March 25, 2012  – Austin, TX) Garteiser Honea’s litigator Christopher Johns won a complete defense verdict for Noble Capital in a multi-million-dollar securities fraud case. The jury found Noble not liable in a jury trial held before the Honorable Sam Sparks in the United States District Court for the Western District of Texas. The Court upheld the jury’s verdict and entered judgment in favor of the Defendants. In the case, three New York businessmen brought...

AOL

has entered into a settlement agreement relating to cryptography technology with Garteiser Honea’s client and inventor, Martin E. Hellman, Professor Emeritus of Electrical Engineering at Stanford.  AOL was represented by Jenner & Block (March 23,...

Fletcher Carson

was denied a victory on demurrer against a Garteiser Honea client, who was wrongly accused of stealing trade secrets. The Court granted Garteiser Honea’s requested relief that did not not allow Plaintiff leave to even amend his complaint. Carson v. Raff (software), Case No. CIV1106045, California Superior Court, County of Marin, February 24,...

Garteiser Honea Wins Another IP Litigation Victory

(Friday, February 24, 2012 – Marin County, CA) Garteiser Honea wins another IP Litigation victory. This time a previous CEO of a software start-up claimed that Garteiser Honea’s client, a senior software programmer, had converted the plaintiff’s alleged intellectual property into his own. Plaintiff moved for a Preliminary Injunction. Garteiser Honea wrote an excellent opposition to the Preliminary Injunction and simultaneously filed a demurrer. The Preliminary Injunction was...

Just Days Before A TRO Hearing, Garteiser Honea Steps In To Defeat It

(Wednesday, January 11, 2012  – Marin County, CA) Plaintiff was moving for Temporary Restraining Order (TRO) to obtain an injunction against a software developer wrongly accused of stealing trade secrets. The sophisticated programmer took no chances and hired Garteiser Honea to defend him at the TRO hearing. Garteiser Honea swung into action and defeated the TRO with just five (5) days to prepare. “Our practice is identical to what we were doing at much larger litigation...

Wage Notice Deadlines Approaching

(Thursday, December 1, 2011 – Marin County, CA) On January 1, 2012, employers in California will now be required to provide written notices to employees containing certain wage information, including, among other things, the employee’s basis of pay (e.g., hourly, weekly, salary or commission) and allowances claimed against the minimum wage as well as other information about the employer, including the employer’s name, principal place of business, telephone number and any other names...

Bally Gaming, Inc.

has entered into a settlement agreement with a Garteiser Honea client relating to gaming machine technologies. Bally Gaming was represented by Quinn Emanuel Urquhart & Sullivan,...

Patent Infringers Can Raise a Prior Use Defense

(Wednesday, November 16, 2011 – Marin County, CA) Under Section 5 of the American Invents Act (AIA), an alleged patent infringer can raise a prior use defense. This defense can be raised against any patent “issued on or after the date of enactment,” which is September 16, 2011. Below is the text of Section 5. Section 5 of the AIA expands prior user rights: 35 U.S.C. 273 Defense to infringement based on earlier inventor. (a) IN GENERAL.–A person shall be entitled to a defense under...

California on Side of Sellers

(Wednesday, November 16, 2011 – Marin County, CA) CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURES CONTINUE TO CURTAIL LIABILITY OF DISTRESSED SELLERS IN SHORT SALE PROCEEDINGS — DO THEIR EFFORTS HELP YOU? There is a wide range of confusion swirling about with the recent enactment of several key pieces of legislation surrounding a seller’s resulting liability after they have completed a “short sale” of their property due to financial distress. In the 1930s California Civil Code of Procedure (CCP) 580b was...

Business Method Patents

(Wednesday, November 9, 2011 – Marin County, CA) Definition: Business method patents are a class of patents which disclose and claim new methods of doing business. This includes new types of e-commerce, insurance, banking, tax compliance etc. Business method patents are a relatively new species of patent and there have been several reviews investigating the appropriateness of patenting business methods. Nonetheless, they have become important assets for both independent inventors and major...

The Quaker Oats Company

entered into a settlement agreement with a Garteiser Honea client. The Quaker Oats Company was represented by Baker Botts LLP...

Security Equipment Corporation

has settled a patent dispute relating to pepper spray to the benefit of a Garteiser Honea client. Security Equipment Corporation was represented by Spencer Fane Britt & Browne...

BRK Brands, Inc.

has settled a patent dispute case for a Garteiser Honea client. BRK Brands, Inc. was represented by K&L Gates LLP...

Butler Creek Corporation and Bushnell Inc.

settled a patent dispute case for a Garteiser Honea client. Butler Creek and Bushnell were both represented by Wilson Trosclair & Lovins,...

Judge Sua Sponte Dismisses Cases Making It Easier For Qui Tam Plaintiff’s To Seek Redress

(Sunday, September 25, 2011 – Marshall, TX)  Judge Ward is in the process of retiring, but before doing so, he expedited resolution of Title 35 U.S.C. Section 292 false marking cases by dismissing several of these cases without prejudice due to the recent enactment of the America Invents Act. By doing so, Judge Ward appears to advocate that the new legislation has taken away the standing of certain qui tam plaintiff who have not pled a commercial injury. The qui tam plaintiffs, known as...

The Armor All/STP Products Company

settled a patent dispute case for a Garteiser Honea client. The Armor All/STP Products Company was represented by Thompson & Knight LLP...

Sloan Valve Company

settled a patent dispute case for a Garteiser Honea client. Sloan Valve Company was represented by Foley & Lardner LLP...

Pentair, Inc.

settled a patent dispute relating to water filtration technology to the satisfaction of a Garteiser Honea client. Pentair was represented by Schiff Hardin LLC...