Statement: The Internet Association Applauds Senator Hatch’s Legislation to Combat Patent Trolls

Washington, D.C. – The Internet Association, the D.C. based trade organization representing the interests of leading Internet companies, issued the following statement from its President and CEO Michael Beckerman on the introduction of The Patent Litigation Integrity Act:

“The Internet Association applauds Senator Hatch’s introduction of The Patent Litigation Integrity Act, which will reduce the asymmetrical risks in patent litigation that patent trolls exploit to extract settlements from large and small businesses and legitimate innovators.

“By requiring certain plaintiffs to post a bond for attorneys fees upon motion by the defendant, the bill will level the playing field in litigation against trolls that shield themselves from risk or responsibility by operating through shell companies that hold little or no assets.  At the same time, the bill gives judges the discretion to ensure that the bonding requirement does not pose a barrier to justice for individual inventors, educational institutions, and legitimate small businesses.

“We look forward to working with Senator Hatch and Members of the Senate Judiciary Committee to pass strong legislation that not only decreases patent litigation abuse, but also strengthens the patent system.”

###