The Trump administration is reportedly considering a proposal to charge patent holders a fee based on the value of their patents, potentially ranging from 1% to 5%. Experts have raised serious concerns, arguing that determining patent value is highly complex and subjective, and such a fee could discourage innovation, especially among small companies.
Commerce Department officials are discussing charging patent holders 1% to 5% of their overall patent value, a shift that could dramatically increase fees
View referenced article
Author(s)
Related Insights
October 13, 2026
Foley Viewpoints
Q3 2026: Billion-Dollar Rounds Steal the Show, but Mask a Narrowing Market
According to Q3 data from Crunchbase, roughly one third of all global VC capital went to just 27 companies raising billion-dollar-plus rounds. Even though total funding for the quarter trailed the first two quarters of the year, Q3 set a record for the most rounds of this size. Two companies raised $5 billion rounds, and six more raised in excess of $3 billion.
October 13, 2026
Foley Career Perspectives
A Conversation About Meaningful Connections With Foley’s Department Chairs
I recently had the pleasure of moderating A Conversation About Meaningful Connections with our three legal department chairs, Jeff Blease, Jeff Gundersen, and Jim Peterson. Our conversation reinforced something I have long believed: meaningful connections are built through authenticity, trust, and investment in other people over time.
October 13, 2026
Foley Viewpoints
SPAC 4.1: Plenty of SPACs, Plenty of Targets — So Who Is Paying for the Deal?
In 2021 the scarce resource was a credible target. In 2026, it is committed cash at closing. There are plenty of SPACs and plenty of companies that want to use them. What there is not, outside a narrow band of sectors, is a PIPE.