Apple has been bringing on more lawyers in preparation for its patent infringement battle with Nokia, according to BusinessWeek. Apparently the iPhone and iPad maker has been recruiting attorneys with experience in fighting for and against companies such as Microsoft, Intel and Broadcom.
Apple and Nokia have been locked in a battle over alleged patent infringement issues for several months. Nokia filed its own ITC complaint in 2009, along with patent infringement lawsuits in 2009 and at the beginning of the 2010 over claims that the majority of Apple’s products, including the MacBook lineup and the iPhone, violate wireless tech-related patents it owns.
Apple fired off its own lawsuit against Nokia at the end of 2009 alleging Nokia is violating 13 patents it owns. At the time of the filing, Apple’s General Counsel and senior vice president, Bruce Sewell, commented “Other companies must compete with us by inventing their own technologies, not just by stealing ours.”
The move to strengthen its legal team is likely an indication that Apple plans to aggressively defend its iPhone-related patent portfolio against Nokia as well as other companies such as HTC and Motorola.
A hearing with the U.S. International Trade Commission is scheduled for November 29 where Nokia plans to detail how Apple is infringing on its patents.