Experience

Textiles

About

Textiles is part of our work in Chemicals, Industrials, and Materials, and Consumer Goods and Services.

Textiles are fashionable, “smart,” innovative, and life-saving

From protecting vulnerable crops, helping doctors improve their patient’s lives, and monitoring your vital signs, to improving the comfort of your clothing—textiles are everywhere. Textiles comprise a broad and diverse range of products used in myriad applications. This diversity is one factor that makes the textile industry a prime market for advancement and invention. And this has proven to be the case; cutting-edge technology and innovation have led to rapid growth in the textile industry in recent years. Finnegan understands the challenges in establishing new technologies or combining existing ones in non-traditional ways for designing, developing, and manufacturing fibers and fabric, all while addressing the business demands to generate value and protect their strands of innovation.

Understanding the law, science, and technology

Our professionals have expertise in a wide swath of technologies relevant for the multi-disciplinary textile industry, including textile engineering and textile technology; chemical, polymer, and material engineering; industrial manufacturing; mechanical engineering; nanotechnology; and other related fields. Many of our professionals have had successful careers as engineers, research scientists, patent examiners, and in-house counsel. More than 65 hold doctorates, and more than 110 have master of science degrees. This exceptional depth positions Finnegan to help clients navigate the complex technical and legal issues of the textile industry.

Finnegan professionals have secured, analyzed, commercialized, enforced, and/or defended clients’ IP assets in virtually every technology area associated with the advanced textile industry:

Aerospace
Automotive
Bioengineering and biomedical devices
Chemistry
Chemical and process engineering
Electrical-mechanical systems
Fashion
Industrial manufacturing
Machine technology
Materials
Nanotechnology
Polymer science
Robotics
Semiconductors
Software
Sports and fitness
Wearable electronics

We help by:

Protecting against infringement through litigation, post-grant Patent Office challenges, and other dispute resolution options
Drafting and prosecuting utility and design patent applications
Writing opinions and providing ongoing counseling for new and evolving technologies
Developing licensing programs
Analyzing competitors’ IP to avoid infringement and identify weaknesses in their portfolios
Counseling on R&D options to minimize IP obstacles
Developing portfolio management strategies
Developing trade secret protection strategies
Conducting internal audits and investigations regarding trade secret misappropriation
Litigating trade secret misappropriation cases before state courts, federal courts, the International Trade Commission (ITC), and arbitration panels
Drafting appropriate nondisclosure contracts with employees and third parties
Providing trademark prosecution and counseling services
Protecting copyrights in textile design

Everyone in this industry

Experience

Finnegan assists Acushnet Company, a leading manufacturer of golf equipment, clothing, and accessories, with the development and protection of its patent portfolio through strategic patent drafting and prosecution across a variety of technologies.

After the ITC issued a general exclusion order, Finnegan obtained a formal U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) ruling in favor of client VILOX Sweden AB, determining that vinyl floor panels imported by VILOX’s licensees do not infringe certain Mohawk Industries Inc. patents and, therefore, are not subject to the exclusion order and can be imported into the United States.

Inv. No. 337-TA-1155, ITC

In the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York, Finnegan successfully defended a lace designing and textile manufacturing client over a motion to dismiss against unauthorized use of its laces in front of U.S. District Judge Ronnie Abrams. In that suit, Judge Abrams allowed Finnegan’s client to continue to pursue its willful copyright infringement claims against an international franchise in the apparel industry.

22-cv-09752, S.D.N.Y., Judge Abrams

Represented defendant Davie Clothing Proprietary Limited in this multi-design patent case directed to designs for oversized garments. This case favorably settled prior to discovery.

2:21-cv-00310, D. Ariz., Judge Burns

Represented DuPont and ADM in a successful Federal Circuit appeal from an IPR proceeding, resulting in reversal of the PTAB’s decision and invalidation of all challenged claims of Synvina’s patent directed to production of 2,5-furan dicarboxylic acid.

17-1977, Fed. Cir.

Defended Welspun in an investigation involving importation of woven textile fabrics.

337-TA-976, ITC, Judge Essex