August 7, 2008
Unilin Beheer B.V., the maker of Quick Step laminated flooring, obtains favorable decision from the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit.
On July 31, Willkie client Unilin Beheer B.V., the maker of Quick Step laminated flooring, obtained a decision from the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit affirming an order the firm obtained last year from the International Trade Commission, which issued a General Exclusion Order barring the importation into the U.S. of any laminated flooring products that infringe any one of several claims under three of Unilin's patents. In Yingbin-Nature (Guangdong) Wood Industry Co., Ltd. v. International Trade Commission, the Federal Circuit agreed with Unilin and the ITC that the one patent whose validity was challenged on appeal was valid and left undisturbed the ITC's findings of infringement and remedy. This case began with Unilin filing a complaint in the ITC against 32 respondents and an eight-day trial in April 2006. Unilin, based in Wielsbeke, Belgium, is a wholly owned subsidiary of Calhoun, Georgia-based Mohawk Industries Inc. The case was handled by partners John DiMatteo and Steven Reisberg, and associates Leslie Spencer, David Lee, Michael Kraver, David Benner and Anna Hershenberg.