COOK COUNTY RECORD

Saying an imbalance has continued in litigation over patent rights, federal regulators have called for changes to level the legal playing field for businesses targeted with patent lawsuits.On Oct. 6, the Federal Trade Commission issued a study, titled "Patent Assertion Entity Activity: An FTC Study," taking a look at so-called patent assertion entities (PAEs), revealing information that confirms what many already knew concerning the activities of one type of PAE, that the FTC says perpetuates "n

The Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals has weighed in on the question of whether giant inflatable rats and "fat cats" used by unions to protest non-union job sites, saying a Wisconsin town violated the free speech rights of the unions by attempting to use its sign ordinance to force a union to remove the inflatables from along a roadway.

The federal Equal Employment Opportunity Commission issued its final Enforcement Guidance on Retaliation and Related Issues late last month, replacing its 1998 Compliance Manual section on retaliation. And employers should take note of the changes, which tighten regulations governing when employees might bring actions.