Federal Judges Encourage IP Attorneys to ‘Be Adults’ in Court

A panel of federal judges overseeing intellectual property litigation agreed that attorneys must learn to appreciate each courts’ limited resources and “be adults in the room” to improve the efficiency of legal proceedings.

Courts are enduring a shortage of law clerks , long case lists, lengthy briefings and burdensome discovery disputes, according to four federal judges who met Thursday at the American Intellectual Property Attorney Law Association Spring Meeting in Austin, Texas. Attorneys who simplify proceedings will find more efficient resolution to their cases, they agreed.

A panel of federal judges speak at the American Intellectual Property Law Association spring meeting on May 16, 2024, in Austin, Texas.

Photographer: Lauren Castle/Bloomberg Law

Judge John W. Holcomb of the US District Court for the Central District of ...