Growing pains – Patent case expands definition of “reasonable royalty”

Description

Abstract: In the recent case Monsanto Co. v. McFarling, a Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit decision has significant implications for patent infringement damage calculations. This article describes the case’s background and explains the court’s reasoning in the case, which provides plaintiffs with additional ammunition for building a reasonable royalty claim. The decision also requires plaintiffs on both sides of patent infringement cases to look beyond “established” royalty rates at other economic factors that affect the amount to which the parties would agree in a hypothetical negotiation. Citation: Monsanto Co. v. McFarling, 488 F.3d 973 (Fed. Cir. 2007).