Overview
(October 29, 2021, Washington, DC) - Steptoe has secured a significant appellate victory for Leedarson Lighting Co., Ltd. and Leedarson America, Inc. ("Leedarson") at the Court of Appeal for the Federal Circuit ("CAFC") (Case Nos. 2020-1907, 2021-1374). On October 27, 2021, the CAFC dismissed Appellants' appeals, thus affirming Leedarson's complete victory at the International Trade Commission ("ITC") (ITC Case No. 337-TA-1168). The ITC's determination, issued on October 1, 2020, affirmed the administrative law judge's ("ALJ") determination that Leedarson did not violate Section 337 of the Tariff Act of 1930, as amended (19 U.S.C. § 1337). Specifically, the ALJ determined that Leedarson’s accused products do not infringe the asserted patent claims, the technical prong of the domestic industry requirement was not satisfied, and the asserted patent claims are invalid under numerous statutory grounds. The Steptoe team successfully represented Leedarson in two previous ITC investigations brought by the same entity.
The Steptoe team that secured this victory for Leedarson includes John Caracappa, Matthew Bathon, Stanley Kuo, Tom Yebernetsky, Kate Cappaert, and Nigel Ray.