Legal Newsline: Economists, law professors argue proposed patent reforms based on ‘flawed, unreliable’ data, by Jessica M. Karmasek
This article originally appeared in Legal Newsline on March 11, 2015.
WASHINGTON (Legal Newsline) – A group of 40 economists and law professors from around the country sent a letter to members of Congress Tuesday, expressing serious concerns with the many “flawed, unreliable or incomplete” patent litigation studies that have become the basis for another possible restructuring of the nation’s patent system.
The economists and professors sent their five-page letter to U.S. Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa and chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee; Sen. Patrick Leahy, D-Vt., ranking member of the Senate Judiciary Committee; U.S. Rep. Bob Goodlatte, R-Va., and chairman of the House Judiciary Committee; and Rep. John Conyers, D-Mich., and ranking member of the House Judiciary Committee.
The group is urging the federal lawmakers to proceed with caution to ensure balanced, targeted legislation.
“As Congress considers legislation to address abusive patent litigation, we believe it is imperative that your decisions be informed by reliable data that accurately reflect the real-world performance of the U.S. patent system,” the economists and professors wrote.
“Unreliable studies with highly exaggerated claims regarding patent trolls have stolen the spotlight after being heavily promoted by well-organized proponents of sweeping patent legislation.”