The Valley Current®: Does Persistence Matter in Federal IP Litigation?
THE VALLEY CURRENT®️ COMPUTERLAW GROUP LLP
Release Date: 08/10/2026
The Valley Current®: Does Persistence Matter in Federal IP Litigation?
THE VALLEY CURRENT®️ COMPUTERLAW GROUP LLP
A poop-themed dog toy took on one of America's most iconic whiskey brands and after 12 years in federal court, it helped reshape trademark law. In this episode of The Valley Current®, Jack Russo unpacks the extraordinary legal battle between Jack Daniel's and VIP Products, tracing the case from the trial court to the Supreme Court and back to the Ninth Circuit. Along the way, he explains how parody, source identifiers, and brand dilution collided in a dispute that became far bigger than a squeaky toy. More importantly, Jack explores what the case reveals about the true cost of intellectual...
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The Valley Current®: Why Consult Neutral Expert Eyes Pre‐Trial, Post‐Trial & Pre‐Appeal
THE VALLEY CURRENT®️ COMPUTERLAW GROUP LLP
Every trial team needs an advocate, but the smartest ones also need a skeptic. The most valuable voice in high-stakes litigation may be the one that's least invested in the outcome. In today's episode of The Valley Current®, Jack Russo explains why the best litigation strategy often begins with an objective perspective. He explores how a neutral appellate specialist can add value at five critical stages of a case, helping trial teams preserve the record, realistically assess settlement opportunities, and avoid strategic mistakes before they're locked in. Jack also examines the unforgiving...
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The Valley Current®: Big Firms, Big Matters, Big Fees, Big Screwups
THE VALLEY CURRENT®️ COMPUTERLAW GROUP LLP
The most expensive legal mistakes aren't always bad arguments; sometimes they're undisclosed conflicts. In this episode of The Valley Current®, host Jack Russo examines the $25.4 million judgment against Cooley LLP and the startup dispute that became one of the most closely watched legal malpractice cases in Silicon Valley. At the center is a founder who claimed the same law firm advising him was also helping the venture capitalists who ultimately forced him out of his own company. Jack explores why signed conflict waivers didn't shield the firm, how nine years of litigation transformed a...
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The Valley Current®: The Deep Five™️–Big Firms, Big Matters, Big Fees, Big Screwups
THE VALLEY CURRENT®️ COMPUTERLAW GROUP LLP
The most expensive legal mistakes aren't always bad arguments; sometimes they're undisclosed conflicts. Jack Russo explores the $25.4 million judgment against Cooley LLP, the founder-investor conflict at its center, and why transparency and independent legal advice remain essential in high-stakes startup transactions. Jack Russo Managing Partner "Every Entrepreneur Imagines a Better World"®️
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The Valley Current®: How Did a Famous SCOTUS Advocate End Up in Federal Prison?
THE VALLEY CURRENT®️ COMPUTERLAW GROUP LLP
How does one of the most accomplished Supreme Court advocates in America end up in federal prison? In this episode of The Valley Current®, Jack Russo unpacks the stunning rise and fall of Thomas C. Goldstein, whose legal career reached the pinnacle of the profession before unraveling under convictions for tax evasion, mortgage fraud, and concealing millions in gambling winnings. Drawing from a detailed legal analysis, Jack explores the decade-long chain of decisions that transformed professional prestige into criminal liability, why the court rejected a gambling addiction defense, and how...
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The Valley Current®: The Deep Five™️–How Did a Famous SCOTUS Advocate End Up in Federal Prison?
THE VALLEY CURRENT®️ COMPUTERLAW GROUP LLP
How does a Supreme Court legend end up behind bars? Jack Russo explores the dramatic fall of Thomas C. Goldstein, the failed gambling addiction defense, and the chain of decisions that turned one of the legal profession's most trusted figures into a convicted felon. Jack Russo Managing Partner "Every Entrepreneur Imagines a Better World"®️
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The Valley Current®: On Becoming Older & Wiser
THE VALLEY CURRENT®️ COMPUTERLAW GROUP LLP
What happens when the most important conversation in a family never takes place? In this episode of The Valley Current®, host Jack Russo reflects on the losses of his father, brother, and mother, and the lessons those moments taught him about wealth, legacy, and love. Sitting at his 93-year-old mother's kitchen table, Jack discovered that even a lifetime of legal experience could not undo years of postponed conversations and outdated estate planning. He explains why the most important part of any estate plan isn't the trust, the will, or the tax strategy; it's the conversations shared around...
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The Valley Current®: Will Tesla Merge Into SpaceX While Trump is POTUS?
THE VALLEY CURRENT®️ COMPUTERLAW GROUP LLP
What if the next trillion-dollar platform isn't an AI company, but a merger? In today's episode of The Valley Current®, Jack Russo explores the growing evidence that Tesla and SpaceX could eventually combine into a single technology ecosystem with ambitions far beyond electric vehicles and rockets. The discussion examines how Starlink, AI, autonomous driving, advanced silicon, energy storage, and consumer hardware could fit into a unified strategy designed to compete with today's tech giants. Jack also cuts through the online hype surrounding a so-called "Tesla Pi Phone," explains why Texas...
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The Valley Current®: How Does Oz Pearlman Do It?
THE VALLEY CURRENT®️ COMPUTERLAW GROUP LLP
What separates a world-class mentalist from everyone else? According to Jack Russo, it isn't magic. It's disciplined observation, relentless preparation, and a deep understanding of how people think under pressure. In this episode of The Valley Current®, Jack unpacks Oz Pearlman's remarkable 2026 performance at the White House Correspondents' Dinner, revealing how every moment reflected the practical habits outlined in Pearlman's book Read Your Mind. From extraordinary memory and razor-sharp observation to contingency planning and emotional regulation, the discussion explores how neuroscience...
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The Valley Current®: Capacity, Cognition & the Constitution
THE VALLEY CURRENT®️ COMPUTERLAW GROUP LLP
When does experience become a liability, and who gets to decide? In this episode of The Valley Current®, Jack Russo examines one of the most uncomfortable constitutional questions of our time: what happens when the people entrusted with the nation's highest offices begin to lose the cognitive capacity those roles demand? From the 25th Amendment to the life tenure of federal judges, the discussion explores why America's legal safeguards often fall short when mental decline is suspected. Jack also unpacks the extraordinary case of Judge Pauline Newman, the growing gap between lifespan and...
info_outlineA poop-themed dog toy took on one of America's most iconic whiskey brands and after 12 years in federal court, it helped reshape trademark law. In this episode of The Valley Current®, Jack Russo unpacks the extraordinary legal battle between Jack Daniel's and VIP Products, tracing the case from the trial court to the Supreme Court and back to the Ninth Circuit. Along the way, he explains how parody, source identifiers, and brand dilution collided in a dispute that became far bigger than a squeaky toy. More importantly, Jack explores what the case reveals about the true cost of intellectual property litigation, where persistence can be as valuable as legal strategy, and why the party that changes the law is often the one that simply refuses to quit.
Jack Russo
Managing Partner
https://www.linkedin.com/in/jackrusso
"Every Entrepreneur Imagines a Better World"®️