General Protecht wins high profile patent case in the U.S.

Morris, Manning & Martin, LLP has won a high profile patent infringement case filed against its client, General Protecht Group. General Protecht, based in China, recently announced that it will build a large manufacturing plant in Georgia.

'This is a significant win and a vindication of our client’s rights,' said Morris, Manning & Martin Partner Bryan Harrison, who litigated the case with partners John Fry and Tim Xia. 'This excellent result is a testament to our dedicated patent litigation team at Morris, Manning & Martin,' continued John Fry, who leads the firm’s patent litigation practice.

Leviton sued several of General Protecht's U.S. customers, alleging infringement of a Leviton patent for a ground fault circuit interrupter, or GFCI, a small device that can reduce the risk of electrocution. GFCI devices are often used in kitchen and bath electrical outlets.

In April 2004, Leviton filed suit in New Mexico, where one of General Protecht's customers is located. General Protecht intervened in the case to lead the litigation. Federal Judge James Browning in Albuquerque awarded summary judgment of non-infringement on July 10, 2007, in favor of General Protecht. The order found that the General Protecht devices at issue do not infringe upon Leviton's asserted GFCI patent, either literally or under the doctrine of equivalence.

'This is not only a great win for General Protecht, which has always respected the intellectual property rights of others, but also a terrific win for the U.S. legal system,' said Tim Xia, who heads the firm's intellectual property and international practices. 'It shows that a Chinese company, which conducts business in the U.S., can be treated fairly and impartially according to the rule of law, which will encourage more Chinese companies to invest and conduct business in the United States,' he concluded.

In May, Georgia Governor Sonny Perdue formally announced that General Protecht Group would build a new plant in Barnesville, Georgia. The electrical component factory is expected to employ 240 people at the conclusion of the first, $30 million phase, with employment and investment expected to increase to approximately 350 employees and $100 million. Attorneys from Morris, Manning & Martin, LLP were instrumental in bringing the plant to Georgia.