Marathon Digital Holdings Inc (MARA)

[yanquitrader]

Appreciate the heads-up on this, Ed - though you could have played it a little less cute. Here's the news he appears to be referring to (translated):

http://juve.de/nachrichten/verfahren/2016/11/patentstreit-bosch-jehle-und-gruenecker-begleiten-marathon-yahoo-friedensschluss

16.11.2016
Patent dispute: Noerr and Grünecker accompany Marathon-Yahoo-Friedensschluss

The US patent verifier TLI has made a comparison with the Internet company Yahoo and the social networks Pinterest and Tumblr. As a result, a large process series of mobile telephony patents is coming to an end in German courts. Previously the trials had already been settled with further defendants. Currently open is still an argument between TLI and the storage provider Box.com.

According to JUVE information, the comparison between TLI and Yahoo, Pinterest and Tumblr essentially provides the reciprocal withdrawal of complaints. This also includes the annulment proceedings before the Federal Patent Court to the claimant - it was canceled. In its interim report, the Court of First Instance had indicated that it doubted the legal issue of the TLI patent (EP 0814611 B1). This patent protects a technique for capturing and managing digital images.

TLI, a German subsidiary of the US patent verifier Marathon, had some success at the beginning of the process series. Thus, for example, the Munich Regional Court of Appeals, Yahoo and Pinterest, condemned the infringement of the patent for damages and injunctions (Nos 7 O 16945/15 and 7 O 5930/15). But last summer, the paper turned. The prospects for the nullity negotiations were bad and the Oberlandesgericht (Higher Regional Court, Munich) had suspended the foreclosure.

TLI was originally in the mass prosecution at the end of 2014 originally against Apple and Facebook. In 2015, more complaints were filed against Google, Yahoo, Instagram, Tumblr, Twitter, Pinterest and Box.com. In addition to Box.com, all companies have now agreed with TLI.

Background: The comparative acted out especially the US of the parties in-house departments. In the background, German law firms were also involved in the contracts which had already led the proceedings before the German patent courts. The participants were all looking for continuity throughout the process.

TLI had launched the series with Noerr and Bosch Jehle. Both closely linked law firms are currently very active in litigation for patent attorneys in Germany. Bosch Jehle plays a key role here. The patent attorneys have not only good relations with the marathon group, but also to Acacia Research, another well-known exploiter from the USA. Acacia is currently carrying out major lawsuits against mobile phone manufacturers in Düsseldorf, Mannheim and Munich with its subsidiary SLC.

Bosch Jehle and Noerr have long been working very closely on patent questions, including TLI / Marathon. Noerr also has good relations with the investor Fortress, who is involved in Marathon.
The patent specialists from Grünecker came into play in the case for Yahoo because the brand department of the law firm has long-term relations with the US company. Yahoo has mandated Grünecker for the second time in a patent infringement case with a telecommunication relationship. The Münchner represented also Pinterest, Tumblr and Twitter. All four US companies have also coordinated the process representation in Germany through parallel US procedures.

At the beginning of the process series, TLI had prosecuted mobile operators. A number of defendants had already approved a license during the process: Apple, represented by Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer, Facebook and Instagram with Olswang and Google with Quinn Emanuel Urquhart & Sullivan. Box.com is represented by DLA Piper. (Mathieu Klos)