Practical Advice for Managing Patent: Litigation for the Small Legal Department Practitioner

Abstract

In-house counsel for small and medium sized companies often must manage a broad spectrum of transactional, corporate governance, regulatory and litigation responsibilities. While the variety and scope of these responsibilities may present an exciting opportunity to shape the business as well as broaden the scope of a practitioner’s legal knowledge, balancing such responsibilities with limited resources is challenging. This balance is relatively easy to maintain particularly when the number of complex matters is minimal or such matters are outsourced to outside counsel. Where this balance can fall apart, however, is when the company becomes a defendant in a patent litigation suit in the United States.