On June 2, 2017, U.S. District Judge Manuel Real approved an award of $737,000 in attorneys' fees for Pryor Cashman, following its successful representation of music giants Britney Spears and Justin Timberlake in a patent infringement suit.

In its failed suit, Large Audience Display Systems, LLC (LADS) claimed that Spears, Timberlake and other defendants infringed its patent by using its display technology at concerts and events during 2008-09 without proper licenses. The case was dismissed, with prejudice, in the singers' favor in 2015.

Judge Real concluded that Pryor Cashman's request for fees was reasonable, with one partner handling the bulk of the work on the seven-year case, and all the other attorneys' fees within normal range for their roles as intellectual property and entertainment lawyers.

The Court expressly rejected LADS' contention that the pop stars were only entitled to fees stemming from litigation misconduct, finding the case "exceptional because of [LADS'] efforts to manufacture venue, the use of a privileged email, and the overall weakness of the merits of [LADS'] positions taken at the Patent and Trademark Office."

Additionally, Judge Real found that "LADS' misconduct permeated through the entirety of this matter, from the start of litigation until the motion for attorneys' fees." "Accordingly," Judge Real ruled, "[Spears and Timberlake] are entitled to their full fee."

The Pryor Cashman Team

Representing Spears and Timberlake in this action were Brad D. Rose, Chair of Pryor Cashman's Intellectual Property Group, Andrew Langsam, Co-Chair of the firm's Patent Litigation Group, and Partner Michael Niborski.

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