Nexsen Pruet Attorney Addresses AIPLA

Currently the prominent issue involves a Japanese statute, originally adopted in the 1920's, requiring companies to compensate employee-inventors an amount relative to profits from sales in Japan of patented inventions. The Japanese Courts have been awarding extraordinary judgments to inventors resulting in a deterrent to multi-national companies having research and development interests in Japan.

As committee co-chair of the AIPLA IP Practice in Japan, Mr. Hardaway addressed the Association following his return from a U.S. Delegation visit to Japan. The Delegation, headed by Hardaway, provided views regarding the U.S. position on inventor compensation to various Japanese organizations including the Tokyo High Court, the Japanese Patent Office, and the Japanese Intellectual Property Association. Consequential to the U.S. Delegation meetings, the Japanese Legislature is considering revision of the "inventor compensation" legislation.

John Hardaway leads the Intellectual Property Group of Nexsen Pruet Jacobs & Pollard, LLC. Nexsen Pruet is a 135-lawyer firm with offices in Columbia, Charleston, Greenville, Hilton Head and Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, and Charlotte, North Carolina. Nexsen Pruet stands as one of the region's true comprehensive law firms.