`U.S. Patent No. 9,689,161
`
`
`
`
`
`
`UNITED STATES PATENT AND TRADEMARK OFFICE
`
`BEFORE THE PATENT TRIAL AND APPEAL BOARD
`
`
`CHANEL, INC.,
`Petitioner,
`v.
`MOLO DESIGN, LTD.,
`Patent Owner.
`
`
`Case IPR2022-00545
`U.S. Patent 9,689,161
`
`
`
`PATENT OWNER’S MOTION FOR
`PRO HAC VICE ADMISSION OF CONOR M. CIVINS
`UNDER 37 C.F.R. § 42.10(c)
`
`
`
`-1-
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`Case IPR2022-00543
`Patent 7,866,366
`
`
`I.
`
`II.
`
`TABLE OF CONTENTS
`INTRODUCTION ...............................................................................................................2
`
`STATEMENT OF FACTS SHOWING THERE IS GOOD CAUSE FOR THE
`BOARD TO RECOGNIZE COUNSEL PRO HAC VICE DURING THIS
`PROCEEDING ....................................................................................................................2
`
`1.
`
`2.
`
`3.
`
`4.
`
`5.
`
`6.
`
`7.
`
`8.
`
`9.
`
`Bar Membership .......................................................................................................2
`
`No Suspensions or Disbarments ..............................................................................3
`
`No Denied Applications ...........................................................................................3
`
`No Sanctions of Contempt Citations........................................................................3
`
`Compliance with the TPG and the Board’s Rules ...................................................3
`
`USPTO Rules of Professional Conduct and Disciplinary Jurisdiction ....................3
`
`Applications for Pro Hac Vice Admission ...............................................................3
`
`Familiarity with the Subject Matter .........................................................................4
`
`Additional Facts .......................................................................................................5
`
`III.
`
`IV.
`
`
`GOOD CAUSE EXISTS FOR PRO HAC VICE ADMISSION OF CONOR M.
`CIVINS ................................................................................................................................5
`
`CONCLUSION ....................................................................................................................6
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`Case IPR2022-00545
`U.S. Patent No. 9,689,161
`
`
`
`
`I.
`
`
`INTRODUCTION
`Patent Owner respectfully submits this Motion for Pro Hac Vice Admission
`
`of Conor M. Civins under 37 C.F.R. § 42.10(c) (“Motion”) in connection with
`
`IPR2022-00545.
`
`This Motion is filed as authorized by the Notice (Paper 3) and in accordance
`
`with the Board’s representative Order in Unified Patents, Inc. v. Parallel Iron, LLC,
`
`IPR2013-00639, Paper 7 (PTAB Oct. 15, 2013). This Motion is filed no sooner than
`
`21 days after service of the petition in this proceeding.
`
`Patent Owner has paid the requisite fees and the Office is authorized to charge
`
`Deposit Account No. 50-0259 any other applicable fees for this Motion.
`
`II.
`
`STATEMENT OF FACTS
`Patent Owner respectfully submits that this Motion and the accompanying
`
`Declaration of Conor M. Civins (“Civins Declaration”) establish good cause for
`
`the Board to recognize Mr. Civins pro hac vice during this proceeding.
`
`1. Bar Membership
`Mr. Civins is a member in good standing of the State Bar of Texas. Civins
`
`Declaration at ¶4.
`
`
`
`
`
`Case IPR2022-00545
`U.S. Patent No. 9,689,161
`
`
`
`
`2.
`No Suspensions or Disbarments
`Mr. Civins has not been suspended or disbarred from practice before any court
`
`or administrative body. Civins Declaration at ¶5.
`
`3.
`No Denied Applications
`Mr. Civins has not had any applications for admission to practice before any
`
`court or administrative body ever denied. Civins Declaration at ¶6.
`
`4. No Sanctions of Contempt Citations
`
`Mr. Civins has not had any sanctions or contempt citations imposed on him
`
`by any court or administrative body. Civins Declaration at ¶7.
`
`5. Compliance with the TPG and the Board’s Rules
`
`Mr. Civins has read and will comply with the Office Patent Trial Practice
`
`Guide (“TPG”) and the Board’s Rules of Practice for Trials set forth in part 42 of 37
`
`C.F.R. Civins Declaration at ¶8.
`
`6. USPTO Rules of Professional Conduct and Disciplinary Jurisdiction
`
`Mr. Civins understands and agrees he will be subject to the USPTO Rules of
`
`Professional Conduct set forth in 37 C.F.R. §§ 11.101 et. seq. and disciplinary
`
`jurisdiction under 37 C.F.R. § 11.19(a). Civins Declaration at ¶9.
`
`7. Applications for Pro Hac Vice Admission
`
`Mr. Civins is seeking pro hac vice admission representing Patent Owner Molo
`
`Design Ltd. in the following proceedings:
`
`
`
`
`
`Case IPR2022-00545
`U.S. Patent No. 9,689,161
`
`
` IPR2022-0543
`
`
`
` IPR2022-0544
`
` IPR2022-0545
`
` IPR2022-0546
`
`8. Familiarity with the Subject Matter
`
`Mr. Civins is familiar with the subject matter at issue in this proceeding.
`
`Civins Declaration at ¶11. Mr. Civins has reviewed the papers and accompanying
`
`exhibits filed in this proceeding. Id. Mr. Civins is the lead litigation attorney for
`
`Patent Owner Molo Design Ltd. in the related district court litigation, Molo Design,
`
`Ltd. v. Chanel, Inc., Civil No. 21-CV-1578 (VEC) (S.D.N.Y.) (“S.D.N.Y.
`
`Litigation”). Id. at ¶12. Mr. Civins also has an established familiarity with the
`
`portfolio of patents assigned to Molo Design Ltd, including U.S. Patent Nos.
`
`7,866,366, 8,561,666, 9,689,161 and 9,797,134 asserted in the S.D.N.Y. Litigation
`
`and at issue in the proceedings listed infra in Paragraph 7. Id.
`
`Mr. Civins is an experienced litigation attorney. Id. at ¶13. Mr. Civins has
`
`been litigating intellectual property and patent cases for over 15 years. Id. Mr. Civins
`
`has been practicing law since 2003 and has extensive experience litigating patent
`
`infringement cases in many different district courts across the United States, as well
`
`as at the Federal Circuit. Id. Mr. Civins’ experience in patent litigation matters
`
`includes all aspects of patent litigation including patent jury trials, arguing Markman
`
`
`
`
`
`Case IPR2022-00545
`U.S. Patent No. 9,689,161
`
`hearings, patent summary judgment proceedings, and other patent-related hearings
`
`
`
`and pleadings concerning, inter alia, patent validity and infringement issues. Id.
`
`9. Additional Facts
`
`Patent Owner’s lead counsel, Jared D. Schuettenhelm, Reg. No. 59,539, is a
`
`registered practitioner in this proceeding. Patent Owner’s backup counsel, Michael
`
`Chibib, Reg. No. 40,950, and Patrick Connolly, Reg. No. 69,570, are registered
`
`practitioners in this proceeding. Mr. Schuettenhelm, Mr. Chibib, Mr. Connolly, and
`
`Mr. Civins are attorneys at the same law firm, Bracewell LLP.
`
`If this Motion is granted, Mr. Civins will represent Patent Owner only as an
`
`additional backup counsel in this proceeding and Patent Owner will promptly file an
`
`updated power of attorney and updated mandatory notices. See Civins Declaration
`
`at ¶14.
`
`III. GOOD CAUSE EXISTS FOR PRO HAC VICE ADMISSION OF
`
`CONOR M. CIVINS
`The facts outlined above in the Statement of Facts, and contained in the
`
`Declaration of Conor M. Civins, establish that there is good cause to admit Mr.
`
`Civins pro hac vice in this proceeding under 37 C.F.R. § 42.10. Patent Owner’s lead
`
`and backup counsel are registered practitioners. Mr. Civins has specific experience
`
`in litigating patent matters and has an established familiarity with the subject matter
`
`
`
`
`
`Case IPR2022-00545
`U.S. Patent No. 9,689,161
`
`at issue in this, and the other related proceeding noted in Section III., Paragraph 8,
`
`
`
`supra.
`
`IV. CONCLUSION
`
`Patent Owner respectfully requests that this Motion be granted and Mr. Civins
`
`be recognized to appear pro hac vice in this proceeding.
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`Respectfully Submitted,
`
`By: /s/ Michael Chibib
`Jared D. Schuettenhelm
`Registration No. 59,539
`Patrick Connolly
`Registration No. 69,570
`BRACEWELL LLP
`701 Fifth Avenue, Suite 6200
`Seattle, Washington 98104-7018
`(206) 204-6200 (t)
`(800) 404-3970 (f)
`jared.schuettenhelm@bracewell.com
`patrick.connolly@bracewelllaw.com
`
`Michael Chibib
`Registration No. 40,950
`BRACEWELL LLP
`111 Congress Avenue, Suite 2300
`Austin, TX 78701
`(512) 472-7800 (t)
`(800) 404-3970 (f)
`michael.chibib@bracewell.com
`
`Counsel for Patent Owner Molo
`Design, Ltd.
`
`Case IPR2022-00545
`U.S. Patent No. 9,689,161
`
`
`Dated: March 16, 2023
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`