90 Second Lesson: How a Licensee is Treated in the Bankruptcy of its Licensor

A reader named Harvey M. wrote in to ask this question: my business licenses certain intellectual property from another company. I am concerned that that company, which we can call “Licensor,” may file for bankruptcy. What will happen to our license if Licensor indeed files?

How to Protect Your IP Rights When Your Licensor Files for Bankruptcy

What Companies Can Do to Protect Their IP Rights in Bankruptcy The Kodak case brought into sharp focus the treatment of intellectual property rights in bankruptcy. Inventor of the roll-film hand camera in 1888 and maker of the first digital camera, the iconic company licensed thousands of patents in its extensive patent portfolio, estimated at $4.5 billion. In 2012, Kodak filed bankruptcy and sold its assets—at apparent fire-sale prices—in bankruptcy court in New York. Sale of a patent portfolio of that size affects the rights of hundreds, if not thousands, […]