Competition is very stiff in the business environment of today. Improved telecommunications have made it possible for quick and effective innovation to be performed. In pursuit of excellence and profit, leading companies often sue each other and go to court over business-related matters. For example, Microsoft and Google had been battling in court over regulatory compliance and patent infringement. The two companies had filed 18 lawsuits against each other in U.S. and German courts. However, they recently dropped all charges against each other and decided to compete using products and services instead of lawsuits. Do you want to know more about the charges that were involved in this legal battle? Read on.
What is regulatory compliance?
Regulatory compliance is a set of regulations that a company must meet so as to achieve specific requirements. This form of governance differs according to the industry involved. In the field of Information Technology (IT), regulatory compliance covers two main aspects. These are:
- Internal IT requirements
- Compliance with standards set by external entities
These types of regulatory compliance govern the activities of a company. They determine what it can and cannot do. For IT companies, the penalties for not complying with internal or external compliance regulations include fines and time wasted while following up on investigations. To enforce compliance within the company, employees are encouraged to follow strict policies. By doing so, they help the company to comply with internal and external regulations.
What is patent infringement litigation?
This is the legal process of suing someone or a party that has launched or sold a product whose patent you hold without informing you. Individuals, as well as corporations, can hold patents. This type of litigation is common among corporations in the field of Information Technology (IT). This is because there is a wealth of ideas and possibilities in this industry and the chances of a product seeming similar to another patented one are very high. Therefore, corporations such as Microsoft and Google often lock horns over patent infringement. Such cases can drag on for a long time due to the unlimited resources of these companies and their excellent legal representation. What do you do if a corporation infringes on your patent? Here is what to do.
How to file a patent infringement lawsuit against a corporation
When an individual sues a corporation over patent infringement, it can seem like a battle between David and Goliath. In such a situation, the defendant is the corporation and the plaintiff is an individual. The defendant has unlimited resources and strong legal representation while the individual has much less. In most cases, the plaintiff loses simply due to limited resources. However, they can increase their chances of winning by partnering with a patent enforcement company.
This is an organization that seeks to protect patent and its holders. The organization normally has experienced lawyers ready to represent clients. An individual who is involved in such a lawsuit can partner with such an organization and improve their chances of winning the case.
Conclusion
Microsoft and Google laid down the lawsuits against each other and took the competition to the market. This brought to light two main types of lawsuits that companies often file against each other. The above information is valuable to both corporations and individuals.
