Nike, Adidas Sneaker Hole Case Makes Third Federal Circuit Trip

Athletic footwear giants Nike Inc. and Adidas AG will spar Monday for the third time at the Federal Circuit in a case over a shoemaking process with major implications for both the industry and patent law.

The decade-old saga concerns whether Nike owns the method of creating knit sneakers without punching out holes for shoelaces. In this latest chapter, Nike wants the US Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit to clarify who has the “burden of persuasion” to show that a patent shouldn’t have been issued when the Patent Trial and Appeal Board raises its own challenge.

How the ...