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Valve Wins Jury Verdict Against Leigh Rothschild Under Washington Anti‑Patent‑Troll Law

A Seattle jury awarded $152,000 after Valve invoked Washington’s Patent Troll Prevention Act to enforce a 2016 license, targeting Rothschild personally.

Overview

  • Both a jury and the district court ruled for Valve on all counts, including violations of Washington’s Patent Troll Prevention and Consumer Protection Acts and breach of contract.
  • The verdict orders $152,000 in damages to Valve under the state anti‑patent‑troll statute.
  • Valve’s case rested on a 2016 Global Settlement and License Agreement that granted a perpetual, royalty‑free license to Rothschild’s patent portfolio.
  • Despite that license, Rothschild’s Display Technologies sued Valve in 2022 over a display patent before the claim was dismissed with prejudice.
  • The court permitted Valve to pursue Rothschild personally and found associated entities operated as his alter egos, signaling reduced protection for shell LLC tactics.