A copyright fight over open-source software landed Morrison & Foerster one of its biggest intellectual property appellate victories of 2011. Morrison client Novell Inc. had faced litigation for years over the rights to the popular computer operating system Unix. In 2010, Morrison attorneys helped convince a Utah federal jury that Novell owned those rights. In August 2011, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit upheld the jury’s decision, sparing Novell the hundreds of millions of dollars that opponent SCO Group Inc. wanted in licensing fees.
From defending clients against major copyright litigation to drafting and enforcing patents for the latest advances in electronics or biofuels, Morrison prides itself on running a “full-service” IP practice, said practice co-chairman Alexander Hadjis. Unlike boutique firms or large firms with a specialized IP practice, he said, Morrison has nearly 300 attorneys in its practice with a range of skills and expertise.
