Our Partners Anna Brook and Michael Dunnam secured a significant victory for Interstellar Inc. against tech giant Kahoot!. Interstellar is a small company that provides school districts with tools to conduct academic competitions. As reported in Law360, on February 25, 2026, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit denied Kahoot!’s petition for a writ of mandamus and upheld the USPTO’s decision to deny institution of an inter partes review (IPR) challenging Interstellar’s patent for online academic competition technology.
The dispute began when Interstellar filed a patent infringement action against Kahoot! in U.S. District Court. In response, Kahoot! filed an IPR petition challenging the validity of Interstellar’s patent. On July 31, 2025, Acting USPTO Director Coke Morgan Stewart exercised her discretion to deny institution of the IPR, finding, among other things, that the “patent has been in force for over six years, creating strong settled expectations” and that Kahoot! had failed to demonstrate that the IPR would be an appropriate use of the Patent Office’s resources. Kahoot! subsequently sought Director Review, which was also denied.
Kahoot! then escalated the matter by filing a petition for a writ of mandamus in the Federal Circuit. The court denied the petition, holding that Congress made the Director’s institution decisions “final and nonappealable” under 35 U.S.C. § 314(d) and that Kahoot!’s arguments “cannot be a basis for granting the petition for mandamus.”
Protecting Innovation from the Start
CM Law is proud to have worked with Interstellar in developing and protecting its intellectual property. This Federal Circuit victory reflects our firm’s core commitment: standing with clients through patent prosecution, litigation, and beyond, no matter the size or resources of the opposition.
CM Law (cm.law) – formerly Culhane Meadows – is the largest national, full-service, women-owned & managed (WBE) law firm in the United States. Designed to provide experienced attorneys with an optimal way to practice sophisticated law while maintaining a superior work/life balance, the firm offers fully remote work options, a transparent, merit and math-based compensation structure, and a collaborative culture. Serving a diverse clientele—from individuals and small businesses to over 40 Fortune-ranked companies—CM Law is committed to delivering exceptional legal services across a broad spectrum of industries.
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