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Technology | INDUSTRY SUCCESSES

Importers Beware: An Overview of Section 337 Investigations
Owners of intellectual property assets do not have to rely solely on district court actions in order to protect their rights. The International Trade Commission (“ITC”) offers an attractive forum in which to bring an infringement action. The features of the ITC that are most appealing to intellectual property owners are the accelerated pace at which ITC actions proceed and the swift, effective remedies available. Compellingly, in certain cases, a successful ITC complainant (analogous to a district court plaintiff) can completely prohibit the importation of any infringing goods into the United States, regardless of whether the importer was named a respondent (analogous to a district court defendant) in the ITC action.
Heather Champion Brady