by John R. Harris, Morris, Manning & Martin, LLP

The patent system has been criticized as not actually promoting innovation.  Aside from the fact that the patent system is embedded in the U.S. Constitution (Article 1, Section 8) and cannot be readily eliminated, there is recent evidence that perhaps the Founding Fathers were on to something in creating a system to “promote the progress of science and useful arts” with a patent system.

Patents and trade secrets are two very different forms of intellectual property (IP) protection.  Patents (the word means, in Latin,

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Client Alert: Avoiding Liability on Social media and the Internet from MMMTechLaw on Vimeo.

Transcript:

The Georgia Court of Appeals recently issued the first opinion by a Georgia appellate court interpreting a federal law called the Communications Decency Act of 1996.

While the court’s decision in Internet Brands Inc. v. Jape does not differ from prior constructions of the Act by courts in other jurisdictions, it provides important pointers for all businesses and individuals who foster communication on the internet or social media sites to avail themselves of the immunity provided under the Act and

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by Patrick G. Mckenzie, Morris, Manning & Martin, LLP

California Prohibits Ride-Sharing with Uber, Lyft, and Sidecar

The California Public Utilities Commission (the “Commission”) recently warned car services Uber, Lyft, and Sidecar that the companies’ new ride-sharing programs violate California law.

The increasingly popular app-based car services utilize GPS tracking in cell phones to match passengers with nearby drivers, who transport the riders in their own personal vehicles. Recent pilot programs from each company, “UberPool,” “Lyft Line,” and Sidecar’s “Shared Rides,” each attempt to pair passengers with

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Client Alert: Limitations of Georgia’s Business Judgment Rule from MMMTechLaw on Vimeo.

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