After a setback, federal prosecutors are fighting to salvage their aggressive economic espionage case against four Chinese corporations accused of paying close to $30 million for stolen DuPont trade secrets.

Four Chinese corporations, called the Pangang Group, have been criminally charged with a plot to steal information about a DuPont chemical used in paints. Quinn Emanuel asserts that the government didn't properly serve the Chinese companies.

Unlike Steve Jobs, who famously declared he'd wage all-out war against Google's Android operating system in the courts, Apple CEO Tim Cook once called Apple's smartphone and tablet battles a "pain in the ass." The company's deal this weekend with HTC ought to grant some relief.