Patent trolls force some firms to go in-house

Patent trolls are having an interesting effect on the technology industry and the lawyers who serve it.

Named for their tendency to sue businesses for infringing on their patents—even if they aren't using them—patent trolls have a history of costing legitimate companies millions in legal fees and settlements. Owners consider them a nuisance and a threat, and even the federal government is taking a closer look at ways to reign them in.

But until that happens, the companies themselves will have to fight back.

According to a recent column in The Boston Globe, corporations are increasingly turning to in-house lawyers for aid. Unlike those working for a separate law office, in-house attorneys can spend all of their working hours focusing on one company and its legal issues. 

"There are a lot of lawyers who may do important things," Microsoft general counsel Brad Smith told the Globe. "[T]hey might not be at the heart of the company's strategic direction the way they are in the IT sector."

For example, EMC, a data storage firm based in Hopkinton, Massachusetts, has about 4,000 patents and 2,700 more that are pending, according to the article. To protect this intellectual property and defend the company against legal attacks, EMC employs a staff of 115 in-house attorneys.

There are many advantages to maintaining a legal staff, but there are also benefits to looking elsewhere for law firms that specialize in business and intellectual property law. A Phoenix business attorney can provide this expertise, as well as the personal attention that one might get from in-house attorneys.

Categorised in: Business Law

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