Patent litigation has taken off in recent decades. While many of the most visible patent lawsuits are initiated by major technology companies seeking to gain leverage over competitors, an increasing number are brought by patent trolls—firms that acquire patents with no intention of developing a technology with them, but instead use them to threaten practicing companies with litigation over alleged infringements. In this BU Law podcast, host David Yas, a BU Law alum, former publisher of Massachusetts Lawyers Weekly and a V.P. at Bernstein Global Wealth, joins James E. Bessen, lecturer in law at Boston University School of Law and a faculty associate at the Berkman Center for Internet and Society at Harvard, to talk about his paper, The Private and Social Costs of Patent Trolls. Together they discuss the economic impact of the surge in lawsuits by patent trolls, the potential for legislation to solve this problem, and how the patent war is ultimately affecting innovation.

The Economic Impact of Lawsuits by Patent Trolls

The Boston University School of Law Podcasts bring a special series of interviews with BU Law Professors and Thought Leaders. The show is hosted by BU Law Alum and WBZ Radio host Dan Rea.

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Back in June of 2012, the Administrative Conference of the United States approved non-binding "Midnight Rules" guidelines. Midnight rulemaking involves the pushing through of rules by a President, in the last few months of their administration. Host David Yas, a BU Law alum, former publisher of Massachusetts Lawyers Weekly and a V.P. at Bernstein Global Wealth, chats with consultant for the Administrative Conference of the United States, Professor Jack M. Beermann, about Midnight Regulations, the new recommendations and the potential impact on current and future administrations.

Inside Midnight Regulations

Law students who participate in the Civil Litigation Program's Housing, Employment, Family and Disability Clinic work for credit under the supervision of four full-time BU clinical faculty.  They can represent anyone from tenants in eviction defenses in housing court, to parties in divorces in probate court.  Host David Yas, a BU Law alum, former publisher of Massachusetts Lawyers Weekly and a V.P. at Bernstein Global Wealth, sits down with Professor Robert G. Burdick, director of the Civil Law Clinical Program, to talk about how the clinic works, and the real life training that students gain by participating in this clinic.

Inside BU Law’s Housing, Employment, Family and Disability Clinic

Boston University School of Law’s Semester-in-Practice Program has provided some great opportunities to law students who are looking to prepare themselves for the legal world.  Host David Yas, a BU Law alum, former publisher of Massachusetts Lawyers Weekly and a V.P. at Bernstein Global Wealth, talks with Professor Sean J. Kealy, director of the Government Lawyering program in Washington D.C, and Michael Greenwald, an alum of BU School of Law, who spent a semester in Washington working for the U.S. Treasury's Office of Terrorism and Financial Intelligence.  Sean and Michael talk about the benefits of the program, the hands-on training, and share their personal experiences.

BU School of Law’s Semester-in-Practice Program

There is a great debate before the U.S. Supreme Court on whether the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act minimum coverage provision is in fact constitutional. For insight into the case, host David Yas, a BU Law alum, former publisher of Massachusetts Lawyers Weekly and a V.P. at Bernstein Global Wealth, turns to Wendy Mariner, professor of law at BU School of Law and the lead author of an amicus brief submitted to the court by more than 100 health law professors. Together, they discuss Department of Health and Human Services v. Florida and the amicus brief, and examine some of the interesting points that arose during the court's oral arguments.

The Constitutionality of the Affordable Care Act

In this BU Law podcast, host David Yas, a BU Law alum, former publisher of Massachusetts Lawyers Weekly and a V.P. at Bernstein Global Wealth, welcomes David H. Webber, associate professor of law at BU Law, to talk about his interesting research in the area of shareholder activism and his paper "The Plight of the Individual Investor in Securities Class Actions," which will soon be published in the Northwestern University Law Review. Together they look at the forces that are driving shareholder activism, the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act, corporate governance reform and how to remedy conflicts between institutional and individual investors in class actions.

The Economic Impact of Lawsuits by Patent Trolls

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