The U.S. International Trade Commission, the somewhat obscure independent federal agency that despite its low profile wields substantial power in the world of intellectual property, is showing once again that it is both an attractive and formidable venue for companies fighting for market share.
The number of new cases filed with the ITC, which has the daunting ability to exclude imports that infringe intellectual property rights, rose to 47 in fiscal 2015—13 more than in the previous year. And as of the end of May of this year, 42 new complaints had been filed. This number is still far below the record 78 complaints filed in 2011, when smartphone wars raged. But the number of new complaints filed with the agency is a sign that it still plays an important role.
