By SEMA Washington, D.C., Staff

The U.S. Supreme Court ruled that patent troll suits are to be filed in the state in which the alleged infringer is incorporated or has its place of business. Courts had previously allowed patent-infringement suits to be filed in any district where the defendant does business. The ruling should reduce the number of suits that are filed in areas of the country deemed to be friendly forums for the plaintiff. At issue are frivolous lawsuits asserting that a company or individual is infringing a patent. The entity making the assertion is usually seeking licensing fees but not actually manufacturing a product or supplying services. The allegations are frequently associated with common technologies or business practices rather than a single patent. The lawsuits have exploded in recent years costing small and large businesses billions of dollars. Many companies have settled rather than fighting the cases, allowing the patent trolls to secure funds to pursue other parties. 

For more information, contact Daniel Ingber at danieli@sema.org.

By SEMA Washington, D.C., Staff

The U.S. Supreme Court ruled that patent troll suits are to be filed in the state in which the alleged infringer is incorporated or has its place of business. Courts had previously allowed patent-infringement suits to be filed in any district where the defendant does business. The ruling should reduce the number of suits that are filed in areas of the country deemed to be friendly forums for the plaintiff. At issue are frivolous lawsuits asserting that a company or individual is infringing a patent. The entity making the assertion is usually seeking licensing fees but not actually manufacturing a product or supplying services. The allegations are frequently associated with common technologies or business practices rather than a single patent. The lawsuits have exploded in recent years costing small and large businesses billions of dollars. Many companies have settled rather than fighting the cases, allowing the patent trolls to secure funds to pursue other parties. 

For more information, contact Daniel Ingber at danieli@sema.org.

By SEMA Washington, D.C., Staff

The U.S. Supreme Court ruled that patent troll suits are to be filed in the state in which the alleged infringer is incorporated or has its place of business. Courts had previously allowed patent-infringement suits to be filed in any district where the defendant does business. The ruling should reduce the number of suits that are filed in areas of the country deemed to be friendly forums for the plaintiff. At issue are frivolous lawsuits asserting that a company or individual is infringing a patent. The entity making the assertion is usually seeking licensing fees but not actually manufacturing a product or supplying services. The allegations are frequently associated with common technologies or business practices rather than a single patent. The lawsuits have exploded in recent years costing small and large businesses billions of dollars. Many companies have settled rather than fighting the cases, allowing the patent trolls to secure funds to pursue other parties. 

For more information, contact Daniel Ingber at danieli@sema.org.

By SEMA Editors

Tim Martin, SEMA chair-elect.

Tim Martin from K&N Engineering has been elected SEMA’s chairman-elect, and will help the SEMA Board of Directors lead the association for the 2017–2019 term. Martin fills the position held for the past two years by Wade Kawasaki of the Coker Group, who will begin serving his term as chairman in July. James Lawrence from Power Automedia was also voted onto the SEMA Board of Directors, and Greg Adler from Transamerican Auto Parts was re-elected, and will serve another term.

SEMA Board members are industry representatives who volunteer their time to lead and guide the association. They are elected by all SEMA-member companies and represent the key membership categories: manufacturers, distributors/retailers, manufacturers’ reps, and services.

The entire 2017-2018 SEMA Board of Directors will be honored and recognized during the SEMA Installation Gala in July. At the same time, current SEMA Immediate Past-Chair/Secretary Nate Shelton will conclude his volunteer term and be honored for his service and contributions. The event will also feature a special tribute to the 2017 SEMA Hall of Fame inductees: GiGi Carleton, Doug Evans and Barry Meguiar.

By SEMA Editors

Tim Martin, SEMA chair-elect.

Tim Martin from K&N Engineering has been elected SEMA’s chairman-elect, and will help the SEMA Board of Directors lead the association for the 2017–2019 term. Martin fills the position held for the past two years by Wade Kawasaki of the Coker Group, who will begin serving his term as chairman in July. James Lawrence from Power Automedia was also voted onto the SEMA Board of Directors, and Greg Adler from Transamerican Auto Parts was re-elected, and will serve another term.

SEMA Board members are industry representatives who volunteer their time to lead and guide the association. They are elected by all SEMA-member companies and represent the key membership categories: manufacturers, distributors/retailers, manufacturers’ reps, and services.

The entire 2017-2018 SEMA Board of Directors will be honored and recognized during the SEMA Installation Gala in July. At the same time, current SEMA Immediate Past-Chair/Secretary Nate Shelton will conclude his volunteer term and be honored for his service and contributions. The event will also feature a special tribute to the 2017 SEMA Hall of Fame inductees: GiGi Carleton, Doug Evans and Barry Meguiar.

By SEMA Editors

Tim Martin, SEMA chair-elect.

Tim Martin from K&N Engineering has been elected SEMA’s chairman-elect, and will help the SEMA Board of Directors lead the association for the 2017–2019 term. Martin fills the position held for the past two years by Wade Kawasaki of the Coker Group, who will begin serving his term as chairman in July. James Lawrence from Power Automedia was also voted onto the SEMA Board of Directors, and Greg Adler from Transamerican Auto Parts was re-elected, and will serve another term.

SEMA Board members are industry representatives who volunteer their time to lead and guide the association. They are elected by all SEMA-member companies and represent the key membership categories: manufacturers, distributors/retailers, manufacturers’ reps, and services.

The entire 2017-2018 SEMA Board of Directors will be honored and recognized during the SEMA Installation Gala in July. At the same time, current SEMA Immediate Past-Chair/Secretary Nate Shelton will conclude his volunteer term and be honored for his service and contributions. The event will also feature a special tribute to the 2017 SEMA Hall of Fame inductees: GiGi Carleton, Doug Evans and Barry Meguiar.

The SEMA Show takes place October 31 - November 3, 2017 at the Las Vegas Convention Center located at 3150 Paradise Road, Las Vegas, NV 89109.

The SEMA Show is the premier automotive specialty products trade event in the world. It draws the industry’s brightest minds and hottest products to one place, the Las Vegas Convention Center. In addition, the SEMA Show provides attendees with educational seminars, product demonstrations, special events, networking opportunities and more.

The SEMA Show takes place October 31 - November 3, 2017 at the Las Vegas Convention Center located at 3150 Paradise Road, Las Vegas, NV 89109.

The SEMA Show is the premier automotive specialty products trade event in the world. It draws the industry’s brightest minds and hottest products to one place, the Las Vegas Convention Center. In addition, the SEMA Show provides attendees with educational seminars, product demonstrations, special events, networking opportunities and more.

Fans of Facebook—and there are more than a billion of them—now have a near mirror image of the social network that they can use for their businesses. Dubbed Workplace by Facebook, the new app offers all of the familiar features that have made Facebook the world’s most popular digital meeting place. The primary difference is that Workplace by Facebook enables businesses to use the familiar Facebook environment to create an entirely private social network for their employees and trusted trading partners.

https://www.sema.org/sema-news/2017/05/workplace-by-facebook

The SEMA Show is the largest annual gathering of small businesses on the planet. It's the place where more than 130,000 industry professionals connect to do business. The SEMA Show drives the automotive industry; it's where all the latest specialty automotive products are introduced. More than 2,500 new and featured products will be displayed in the New Products Showcase to a global audience of buyers and media. The sales exposure and brand-building visibility you will gain is sure to boost your business.