Paul, Weiss achieved a notable legal victory for Altria Group, Inc. in its patent dispute with Juul Labs, Inc. The contention centered around patents Altria acquired through a settlement with another entity.
In 2023, Altria settled a patent litigation case brought by Fuma and acquired the contested Fuma patents. Jeffrey Osterman advised Altria during the acquisition and settlement process. Later that year, Juul initiated proceedings before the U.S. Patent Trial and Appeal Board (PTAB) to invalidate these patents.
By May 2024, the PTAB initially suggested that the patents might be invalid. However, Paul, Weiss defended their validity through comprehensive briefing, expert testimony, and oral arguments. This led to the PTAB issuing two unanimous decisions in favor of Altria, affirming the validity of all disputed claims and dismissing Juul’s arguments.
The decision strengthens Altria’s strategic position in its ongoing conflict with Juul.
The Paul, Weiss legal team comprised litigation partners Anish Desai, Elizabeth Weiswasser, Sutton Ansley and Christopher Pepe as well as counsel Matthew Sieger and Ian Moore.
