Design Patent Obviousness, One Year After LKQ

Today we’re diving into the evolving world of design patent law—specifically, what’s happened in the year since the Federal Circuit’s landmark decision in LKQ Corp. v. GM Global Tech Operations.

One year ago, the Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit made waves by overturning the long-standing Rosen-Durling test for design patent obviousness. In its place? A more flexible standard aligned with the utility patent framework. This was the court’s first en banc patent decision in six years—and it signaled a major shift.

Read the full article: Design Patent Obviousness, One Year Later

About the author

Jace D. Williams