`
`UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT
`EASTERN DISTRICT OF MICHIGAN
`SOUTHERN DIVISION
`
`
`
`
`IN RE NEO WIRELESS, LLC
`PATENT LITIG.
`
`
`
`Case No. 2:22-md-03034-TGB
`
`Hon. Terrence G. Berg
`
`
`
`
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`DEFENDANTS’ UNOPPOSED MOTION FOR LEAVE TO FILE
`UNDER SEAL PORTIONS OF THEIR MOTION TO COMPEL
`PRODUCTION OF NEO’S LICENSING NEGOTIATIONS WITH
`AVANCI AND EXHIBITS A, B, D, F AND G THERETO
`
`Pursuant to Local Rule 5.3(b), Defendants respectfully move for an Order
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`permitting them to file portions of their Motion to Compel Production of Neo’s
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`Licensing Negotiations with Avanci and the following exhibits under seal:
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`• Exhibit A –Third-party Avanci’s October 2017 “SEP Landscape
`Report”
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`• Exhibit B – Neo’s Second Supplemental Response to Defendants
`Common Interrogatory No. 2
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`• Exhibit D - 7/28/23 Letter from LeRoy to Stewart
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`• Exhibit F – Third-Party Avanci documents
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`• Exhibit G – Neo NDA with third-party Avanci
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`
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`Case 2:22-md-03034-TGB ECF No. 180, PageID.11145 Filed 09/27/23 Page 2 of 6
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`The above exhibits have been designated “Confidential – Attorneys Eyes
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`Only” by the producing party pursuant to the Protective Order (ECF No. 125)
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`entered in this case, or the exhibits describe or quote such designated materials.
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`A determination on a motion for leave to file under seal is made pursuant to
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`the sound discretion of the district court. Meyer Goldberg, Inc. v. Fisher Foods, Inc.,
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`823 F.2d 159, 161 (6th Cir. 1987). The right of the public to access judicial records
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`“is not absolute.” Brown & Williamson Tobacco Corp. v. F.T.C., 710 F.2d 1165,
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`1179 (6th Cir. 1983). The Sixth Circuit recognizes that “certain privacy rights of
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`participants” are significant interests which can outweigh the public’s right to access.
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`Id. (citing Nixon v. Warner Commc’ns, Inc., 435 U.S. 589, 598 (1978)) (additional
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`citations omitted).
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`Here, the information sought to be filed under seal includes confidential
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`agreements and patent licensing terms, including information that has been
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`designated Confidential Attorney- only by third-party Avanci. These exhibits should
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`be permitted to be filed under seal to respect the privacy rights of the parties. See
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`Brown & Williams, 710 F.2d at 1179. These exhibits should be permitted to be filed
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`under seal to respect the competitive advantage that the parties achieve by keeping
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`such detailed financial information private. See Apple Inc. v. Samsung Elecs., Co.,
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`727 F3d 1214, 1225-26 (Fed. Cir. 2013) (holding the district court abused its
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`discretion in ordering unsealing as such the parties have “a significant interest in
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`2
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`Case 2:22-md-03034-TGB ECF No. 180, PageID.11146 Filed 09/27/23 Page 3 of 6
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`preventing the release of their detailed financial information.”). Good cause
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`therefore exists for the proposed sealed filing, and no opposition exists.
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`Redacted and unredacted copies of the Defendants’ Motion to Compel are
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`provided with this filing pursuant to L.R. 5.3(b)(3)(A)(v) and (vi). Exhibits A, B,
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`D, F, and G to Defendants’ motion should be sealed in their entirety due to the extent
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`of the confidential information they contain.
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`Counsel for Ford contacted counsel for Neo Wireless, LLC on September 27,
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`2023, via telephone, regarding the relief requested in this motion. Counsel for Neo
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`Wireless, LLC concurs in the relief requested in this motion.
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`For the reasons set forth above, the Defendants respectfully request that the
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`Court grant its Unopposed Motion for Leave to File Under Seal.
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`A proposed Order is concurrently submitted through the ECF system.
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`Date: September 27, 2023
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`
`
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`Respectfully submitted,
`
`
`
`
`
`/s/ John S. LeRoy
`
`John S. LeRoy (P61964)
`Christopher C. Smith (P73936)
`Kyle G. Konz (P79452)
`BROOKS KUSHMAN P.C.
`1000 Town Center, 22nd Floor
`Southfield, MI 48075
`Telephone: (248) 358-4400
`jleroy@brookskushman.com
`csmith@brookskushman.com
`kkonz@brookskushman.com
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`Counsel for Defendant
`Ford Motor Company
`
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`/s/ Peter J. Brennan
`
`Reginald J. Hill (IL Bar #6225173)
`Peter J. Brennan (IL Bar #6190873)
`JENNER & BLOCK LLP
`353 N. Clark St.
`Chicago, IL 60654
`Telephone: (312) 222-9350
`rhill@jenner.com
`pbrennan@jenner.com
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`Counsel for Defendants
`Nissan North America Inc. and Nissan
`Motor Acceptance Corporation A/K/A
`Nissan Motor Acceptance Company LLC
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`3
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`Case 2:22-md-03034-TGB ECF No. 180, PageID.11147 Filed 09/27/23 Page 4 of 6
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`
`
`/s/ Joseph A. Herriges
`
`
`Joseph A. Herriges, MN Bar No.
`390350
`Conrad A. Gosen, MN Bar No.
`0395381
`James Huguenin-Love, MN Bar No.
`0398706
`FISH & RICHARDSON P.C.
`60 South Sixth Street, Suite 3200
`Minneapolis, MN 55402
`Telephone: (612) 335-5070
`herriges@fr.com, gosen@fr.com,
`huguein-love@fr.com
`
`Michael J. McKeon, DC Bar No.
`459780
`Christian Chu, DC Bar No. 483948
`Jared Hartzman, DC Bar No.
`1034255
`Joshua Carrigan, VA Bar No. 96911
`FISH & RICHARDSON P.C.
`1000 Maine Avenue SW, Suite
`1000
`Washington, DC 20024
`Telephone: (202) 783-5070
`mckeon@fr.com, chu@fr.com,
`hartzman@fr.com, carrigan@fr.com
`
`J. Michael Huget (P39150)
`Sarah E. Waidelich (P80225)
`HONIGMAN LLP
`315 East Eisenhower Prkwy., Ste.
`100
`Ann Arbor, MI 48108
`Tel: (734) 418-4254
`mhuget@honigman.com,
`swaidelich@honigman.com
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`
`
`/s/ Thomas H. Reger II
`Thomas H. Reger II
`Texas Bar No. 24032992
`reger@fr.com
`FISH & RICHARDSON P.C.
`1717 Main Street, Suite 5000
`Dallas, TX 75201
`Telephone: (214) 747-5070
`
`Lawrence Jarvis
`Georgia Bar No. 102116
`jarvis@fr.com
`FISH & RICHARDSON P.C.
`1180 Peachtree Street NE, 21st Floor
`Atlanta, Georgia 30309
`Telephone: (404) 892-5005
`
`Elizabeth Ranks
`Massachusetts Bar No. 693679
`ranks@fr.com
`FISH & RICHARDSON P.C.
`1 Marina Park Drive
`Boston, Massachusetts 02210
`Telephone: (617) 542-5070
`
`J. Michael Huget (P39150)
`Sarah E. Waidelich (P80225)
`HONIGMAN LLP
`315 East Eisenhower Prkwy., Ste. 100
`Ann Arbor, MI 48108
`Tel: (734) 418-4254
`mhuget@honigman.com
`swaidelich@honigman.com
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`Counsel for Defendant Tesla, Inc.
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`4
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`Case 2:22-md-03034-TGB ECF No. 180, PageID.11148 Filed 09/27/23 Page 5 of 6
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`Counsel for Defendants General
`Motors Company and General
`Motors LLC
`
`
`
`/s/ Frank C. Cimino, Jr.
`Frank C. Cimino, Jr.
`Megan S. Woodworth
`Jonathan L. Falkler
`Robert C. Tapparo
`VENABLE LLP
`600 Massachusetts Avenue, NW
`Washington, DC 20001
`(202) 344-4569
`FCCimino@Venable.com
`MSWoodworth@Venable.com
`JLFalkler@Venable.com
`RCTapparo@Venable.com
`
`Patrick G. Seyferth (P47575)
`Susan M. McKeever (P73533)
`BUSH SEYFERTH PLLC
`100 W. Big Beaver Road, Suite 400
`Troy, MI 48084
`(248) 822-7800
`seyferth@bsplaw.com
`mckeever@bsplaw.com
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`Attorneys for Defendant
`FCA US LLC
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`/s/ Deirdre M. Wells
`Susan M. McKeever
`Justin B. Weiner
`Bush Seyferth PLLC
`100 West Big Beaver Rd., Suite 400
`Troy, MI 48084
`(248) 822-7851
`mckeever@bsplaw.com
`weiner@bsplaw.com
`
`Daniel E. Yonan
`Deirdre M. Wells
`Ryan C. Richardson
`William H. Milliken
`Anna G. Phillips
`Sterne, Kessler, Goldstein & Fox P.L.L.C
`1101 K Street, NW, 10th Floor
`Washington, DC 20005
`(202) 371-2600
`dyonan@sternekessler.com
`dwells@sternekessler.com
`rrichardson@sternekessler.com
`wmilliken@sternekessler.com
`aphillips@sternekessler.com
`
`Counsel for Defendants Volkswagen
`Group of America, Inc. and Volkswagen
`Group of America Chattanooga
`Operations, Inc.
`
`/s/ Paul R. Steadman
`
`
`Paul R. Steadman (Illinois Bar No.
`6238160)
`Matthew Satchwell (Illinois Bar No.
`6290672)
`
`/s/ John T. Johnson
`
`
`John T. Johnson (New York Bar
`No.2589182)
`FISH & RICHARDSON P.C.
`7 Times Square, 20th Floor
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`5
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`Case 2:22-md-03034-TGB ECF No. 180, PageID.11149 Filed 09/27/23 Page 6 of 6
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`Shuzo Maruyama (Illinois Bar No.
`6313434)
`DLA PIPER LLP (US)
`444 West Lake Street, Suite 900
`Chicago, IL 60606-0089
`Tel: 312.368.2135
`Fax: 312.251.2850
`paul.steadman@us.dlapiper.com
`matthew.satchwell@us.dlapiper.com
`shuzo.maruyama@us.dlapiper.com
`
`Brian Erickson (Texas Bar No.
`24012594)
`DLA PIPER LLP (US)
`303 Colorado Street, Suite 3000
`Austin, Texas 78701-4653
`Tel: 512.457.7059
`Fax: 512.721.2263
`brian.erickson@us.dlapiper.com
`
`Counsel for Defendants Toyota
`Motor Corporation, Toyota Motor
`North America, Inc., Toyota Motor
`Sales, U.S.A., Inc. and Toyota
`Motor Engineering &
`Manufacturing North America, Inc.
`and Toyota Motor Credit
`Corporation
`
`
`New York, NY 10036
`Telephone: (212) 765-5070
`Facsimile: (212) 258-2291
`E-mail: jjohnson@fr.com
`
`Ruffin B. Cordell (New York Bar No.
`2589182)
`Benjamin J Christoff
`FISH & RICHARDSON P.C.
`1000 Maine Ave., S.W., Suite 1000
`Washington, D.C. 20024
`Telephone: (202) 783-5070
`Facsimile: (202) 783-2331
`E-mail: Cordell@fr.com
`
`Thomas Branigan (P41774)
`Matin Fallahi (P84524)
`Bowman and Brooke LLP
`41000 Woodard Avenue, 200 East
`Bloomfield Hills, MI 48304
`Telephone: (248) 205-3300
`Facsimile: (248) 205-3399
`thomas.branigan@bowmanandbrooke.com
`matin.fallahi@browmanandbrook.com
`
`Counsel for Defendants
`American Honda Motor Co., Inc. and
`Honda Development & Manufacturing of
`America, LLC
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`6
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