Kate Gehl Discusses DOJ Withdrawal of FRAND Policy

Foley & Lardner LLP Senior Counsel Kate Gehl was quoted in a Bloomberg Law blog article titled, “Biden’s Rollback of Standard-Patent Policy Places Onus on Courts,” discussing the implications of abandoning the Trump-era FRAND patent policy without instituting a replacement.

The article analyzed the Biden Administration’s decision to abandon suggested remedies for disputes over patents essential to industry standards. The decision will affect standard-essential patent (SEP) holders and leave uncertainty over respective rights and obligations of all participants. Gehl noted that “for now, patent practitioners can try to read the tea leaves regarding the DOJ’s shifting philosophy by analyzing what it said about the abandoned policy statement.” While not binding on courts, a policy statement can affect negotiations and litigation, giving courts and parties something to point to in litigation and other disputes.

(Subscription required)