Intellectual Property Today
October 2005
In this article, partner Steven Warner and associate Stephen Belisle examine four grounds that a patentee might use to establish a corporate officer’s personal liability for patent infringement. The four grounds are (1) the officer is a direct infringer; (2) the company is the officer’s alter ego; (3) equity demands officer accountability; and (4) the officer induced the infringement. The article concludes by identifying good business practices that corporate officers may employ to better protect themselves from such liability.