Opinion ID: 211661
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: standard of review

Text: 6 Initially, the parties dispute whether Federal Circuit law or regional circuit law applies to the issue of an attorney fee award pursuant to a provision of the consent judgment. Samsung argues that the law of the regional circuit applies because interpretation of an attorney fee provision in a consent judgment is not unique to patent law, citing Deprenyl Animal Health, Inc. v. Univ. of Toronto Innovations Found., 297 F.3d 1343, 1349 (Fed.Cir.2002). IR argues that Deprenyl Animal Health is not relevant to this case because Deprenyl Animal Health involved interpretation of an arbitration clause rather than an attorney fee provision. IR cites Q-Pharma, Inc. v. Andrew Jergens Co., 360 F.3d 1295, 1299 (Fed.Cir.2004), for the proposition that this court applies its own law to awards of attorney fees. Although Deprenyl Animal Health was concerned with whether Federal Circuit law or regional circuit law applied to the scope of an arbitration clause in a patent license agreement, in Flex-Foot, Inc. v. CRP, Inc., 238 F.3d 1362, 1365-66 (Fed.Cir.2001), this court held that regional circuit law and state law applied to a challenge to an award of arbitration fees pursuant to a settlement agreement providing for arbitration of infringement disputes. IR's argument that Q-Pharma broadly holds that all attorney fee awards are reviewed under Federal Circuit law is without merit because Q-Pharma was only concerned with an award under 35 U.S.C. § 285. 360 F.3d at 1299. Thus, we conclude that, like the arbitration fee award in Flex-Foot, the award of attorney fees pursuant to a consent judgment provision is subject to regional circuit law and state law, if relevant. In this case, both Ninth Circuit and California law are applicable. 7 The Ninth Circuit reviews an award of attorney fees for an abuse of discretion. Roy Allan Slurry Seal v. Laborers Int'l Union of N. Am. Highway & St. Stripers/Road & St. Slurry Local Union 1184, AFL-CIO, 241 F.3d 1142, 1145 (9th Cir.2001). Underlying facts are reviewed for clear error, and underlying legal conclusions are reviewed de novo. Id. An award of attorney fees under 35 U.S.C. § 285 is governed by Federal Circuit precedent. Q-Pharma, 360 F.3d at 1299. We review a denial of attorney fees under section 285 for an abuse of discretion and any findings of fact underlying that determination for clear error. Id.