On the intangibles legal front

According to Bloomberg News:

Starbucks Corp., the world's largest coffee-shop operator, sued a former executive and accused him of violating a non-competition agreement by accepting a job with Dunkin' Donuts Inc.

And another Bloomberg story relates that:

The U.S. International Trade Commission will start a probe into a claim by closely held Paice LLC that some Toyota vehicles infringe a patent for a way of supplying torque, or force, to a car's wheels from both an electric motor and internal combustion engine.

The story also notes that:

The ITC, in an unrelated case, is currently considering the standard that must be met before patent owners who don't make products can file complaints.

Never a dull moment in the legal fights over intangibles. One more reason why companies (and policymakers) need to think carefully about the management of intangible assets.