NANTKWEST, INC. v. IANCU

2016-1794.

898 F.3d 1177 (2018)

NANTKWEST, INC., Plaintiff-Appellee v. Andrei IANCU, Under Secretary of Commerce for Intellectual Property and Director if the United States Patent and Trademark Office, Defendant-Appellant.

United States Court of Appeals, Federal Circuit.

Decided: July 27, 2018.


Attorney(s) appearing for the Case

MORGAN CHU , Irell & Manella LLP, Los Angeles, CA, argued for plaintiff-appellee. Also represented by LAUREN NICOLE DRAKE , GARY N. FRISCHLING , ALAN J. HEINRICH ; SANDRA HABERNY , Newport Beach, CA.

JAYNIE RANDALL LILLEY , Appellate Staff, Civil Division, United States Department of Justice, Washington, DC, argued for defendant-appellant. Also represented by BENJAMIN C. MIZER , DANA J. BOENTE , MARK R. FREEMAN ; THOMAS W. KRAUSE , THOMAS L. CASAGRANDE , Office of the Solicitor, United States Patent and Trademark Office, Alexandria, VA.

ANTHONY J. DREYER , Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP, New York, NY, for amicus curiae International Trademark Association. Also represented by MARK N. MUTTERPERL , Zeisler PLLC, New York, NY.

WILLIAM P. ATKINS , Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman LLP, McLean, VA, for amicus curiae Federal Circuit Bar Association. Also represented by WILLIAM K. WEST, Jr. , Washington, DC; MARTIN SCOTT HIGH , Martin S. High, P.C., Clemson, SC.

KEVIN TOTTIS , TottisLaw, Chicago, IL, for amicus curiae American Intellectual Property Law Association. Also represented by MONICA L. THOMPSON , RACHEL M. VORBEK ; LISA K. JORGENSON , American Intellectual Property Law Association, Arlington, VA.

GREGORY A. CASTANIAS , Jones Day, Washington, DC, for amicus curiae Intellectual Property Owners Association. Also represented by DANIEL KAZHDAN ; HENRY S. HADAD , Bristol-Myers Squibb Company, Princeton, NJ; MARK W. LAUROESCH , Intellectual Property Owners Association, Washington, DC; STEVEN W. MILLER , Global Legal Department, Procter & Gamble Company, Cincinnati, OH.

HILARIE BASS , Greenberg Traurig, P.A., Miami, FL, for amicus curiae American Bar Association. Also represented by SALVATORE ANASTASI , Barley Snyder, Malvern, PA; JOSHUA SCHWARTZ , Lancaster, PA; DONALD W. RUPERT , Marshall, Gerstein & Borun LLP, Chicago, IL; CHARLES W. SHIFLEY , Banner & Witcoff, Ltd., Chicago, IL.

MARGARET MARY DUNCAN , McDermott Will & Emery LLP, Chicago, IL, for amicus curiae Intellectual Property Law Association of Chicago. Also represented by DAVID MLAVER , Washington, DC; ROBERT H. RESIS , CHARLES W. SHIFLEY , Banner & Witcoff, Ltd., Chicago, IL.

CHARLES ERIC MILLER , Eaton & Van Winkle LLP, New York, NY, for amicus curiae Association of Amicus Counsel. Also represented by KELLY L. MORRON , Law Offices of Kelly L. Morron, Wilton, CT; JONATHAN E. MOSKIN , Foley & Lardner LLP, New York, NY; ROBERT JOSEPH RANDO , The Rando Law Firm P.C., Syosset, NY; ALAN M. SACK , SACK IP Law PC, Syosset, NY.

PATRICK RICHARD DELANEY , Ditthavong & Steiner, P.C., Alexandria, VA, for amicus curiae Realvirt, LLC.

CHARLES ERIC MILLER , Eaton & Van Winkle LLP, New York, NY, for amici curiae Isshiki & Co., Hiraide & Takahashi.

Dissenting opinion filed by Chief Judge Prost, in which Circuit Judges Dyk, Reyna, and Hughes join.


When the United States Patent and Trademark Office's Patent Trial and Appeal Board ("Board") affirms an examiner's rejection of a patent application, § 145 of the Patent Act permits the disappointed applicant to challenge the Board's decision in district court. Applicants who...

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