Onesta IP Must Halt Foreign Enforcement of U.S. Patents Against BMW

In a significant victory for Finnegan client BMW, Judge Alan Albright of the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Texas granted the automaker an antisuit injunction requiring Onesta IP to halt its attempts to enforce two U.S. patents in Germany. The ruling ensures that questions of U.S. patent law will be adjudicated exclusively in the United States. 

Finnegan partner Lionel Lavenue represents BMW and praised the decision as “a strong affirmation of U.S. judicial authority over disputes involving U.S. patents.” He emphasized that “by ordering the withdrawal of Onesta’s Munich actions insofar as they seek to enforce U.S. patents abroad, the court has protected the integrity of the American patent system and prevented improper interference with BMW’s right to litigate these issues in the proper U.S. forum. This outcome safeguards American innovation, ensures fair and predictable enforcement of U.S. intellectual property rights, and upholds the principle that U.S. patents are adjudicated under U.S. law by U.S. courts.” 

The court denied Onesta’s request for a stay and noted that a written order will follow. While the injunction halts enforcement of the asserted U.S. patents abroad, related litigation involving a European patent continues in Munich. 

Reinforcing BMW’s position, Lionel added, “BMW remains committed to defending its interests vigorously while respecting the rule of law across jurisdictions. We appreciate the Court’s swift and principled action in this groundbreaking case.” 

Read Onesta IP Must Halt Foreign Enforcement of U.S. Patents Against BMW