Patent Trolling

The acquisition and assertion of patents primarily for the purpose of extracting licensing fees or legal settlements—without intent to produce, commercialize, or improve the underlying technology.

Operational Strategies

Mass Infringement Claims

Filing lawsuits against multiple companies simultaneously to pressure rapid settlements regardless of merit.

Forum Shopping

Filing in jurisdictions with favorable rulings or faster legal timelines to increase leverage in negotiations.

Portfolio Fragmentation

Breaking up patent portfolios across entities to create complexity, obscure ownership, or multiply legal risk.

Preemptive Filings

Registering broad or vague patents in anticipation of future market developments to block innovation or monetize adoption.