Patent Trolls and Predatory Practices
An urgent letter from DeConcini McDonald Yetwin & Lacy, P.C.
You probably have read in the national press that small businesses around the country have received letters suggesting they have infringed certain patents owned by the letter writers. The patents describe a scan-to-email function on office copiers. Many businesses of from 100 to 150 employees have received these letters. The owners of the patents, known as “Patent Trolls,” ask the recipient for a “license fee” of $1,000 per employee. The threat is that if the business does not pay the fee, it will be sued for patent infringement.
The Attorneys General (AG) for Nebraska and Vermont have gone after these Trolls. Arizona’s Office of the Attorney General is also considering this possibility. To take action the AG’s Office needs to know whether Arizona businesses have received infringement letters or other communications from the Trolls.
Full details => 8.21.13 Chamber Update (PDF)





