Intellectual Property Law

Special Master Redfearn: Application for Amendment to Stipulated Protective Order DENIED

By Karen E. Keller, Andrew A. Lundgren et al.

Earlier this month, in Spansion, LLC v. Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd., C.A. No. 1:08-CV-00855-SLR (D. Del. Mar. 2, 2011), Special Master Redfearn denied Spansion's application for an amendment to a Stipulated Protective Order withholding confidential business information from both parties' in-house counsel.

Spansion argued that its in-house counsel needed access to confidential business information so that its in-house counsel could provide informed direction to trial counsel. Id. at 3. Applying a balancing test set forth by the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit, Special Master Redfearn balanced the risk of injury to Samsung due to inadvertent disclosure of confidential business information against the risk that withholding information would impede Spansion's prosecution of Samsung's claims. Id. at 4-5. Because the risk of injury to Samsung outweighed Spansion's need for in-house legal advice, Special Master Redfearn denied Spansion's application to amend the Stipulated Protective Order. Id. at 5.

Spansion, LLC v. Samsung Elec. Ltd., C.A. No. 08-855-SLR

Full post as published by Delaware IP Law Blog on March 18, 2011 (boomark / email).