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Now TomTom Sues Microsoft for Patent Infringement -- Guess Who Their Lawyers Are? MoFo!!!

By Pamela Jones et al.

Can you believe it? This is so great!! Morrison & Foerster are representing TomTom in a new patent infringement lawsuit TomTom has just filed against Microsoft! I love covering their cases. Patent law is usually soooo boring to me, but these guys will keep me awake, and no doubt if I pay attention, I'll learn a lot.

I'd already decided to cover the lawsuit Microsoft filed against TomTom in Seattle last month, and we'll cover this one too. Eventually one or both sides will probably file a motion to consolidate the two cases, either in Washington State, where Microsoft filed, or in Virginia, where TomTom has just filed its Complaint [PDF]. But they could also just lope along on two separate tracks. So far, Microsoft's statement, on both TechFlash, linked above, and in part on Bloomberg, indicates they want to stay on their home turf:

"We are reviewing TomTom's filing, which we have just received," said Horacio Gutierrez, Microsoft deputy general counsel, in a statement released by the company today. "As has been the case for more than a year, we remain committed to a licensing solution, although we will continue to press ahead with the complaints we initiated in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Washington and the International Trade Commission."

What does it mean? It means TomTom intends to fight and fight hard. Microsoft always does that. So, it'll be a real dogfight. And we're probably going to get to see some fabulous lawyering on both sides. Not to make anybody nervous or anything, but it's exciting to see lawyers who really know what they are doing.

Full post as published by Groklaw on March 20, 2009 (boomark / email).