Opinion ID: 3006759
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: Dr. Shukh’s Unemployment

Text: Finally, Dr. Shukh presented evidence that his alleged reputational harm had an economic component. Dr. Shukh has been unemployed since 2009, and he seeks a job in the field of technology covered by the disputed patents. A trier of fact could infer that the stronger Dr. Shukh’s reputation as an inventor, the more likely he is to be hired. This is particularly true in light of his difficult personality. Furthermore, there is evidence tying Dr. Shukh’s negative reputation at Seagate—including, one presumes, his reputation for seeking credit for his own inventions—to his unemployment. Summary Judgment Order at  (writing that an engineer at a company Dr. Shukh interviewed with allegedly told Dr. Shukh that he would never get a job there because of his reputation at Seagate). Thus, a trier of fact could conclude that Dr. Shukh’s employment prospects have been harmed by the impact of his alleged omission from the disputed patents on his reputation as an inventor and his reputation for seeking credit for his own ideas. Moreover, a trier of fact could infer that Dr. Shukh’s employment prospects would improve if the inventorship of the disputed patents was corrected. Dr. Shukh’s inability to obtain employment is a concrete and particularized financial harm that suffices to create Article III standing. To be sure, we sympathize with the district court. It issued a number of thoughtful and thorough orders in what must have been a very difficult case. All things considered, the district court has done an admirable job dealing with the many issues raised below. We have considered Dr. Shukh’s remaining arguments, and find no SHUKH v. SEAGATE TECHNOLOGY, LLC 15 merit in them. We therefore vacate and remand this case only with respect to the court’s ruling on reputational injury, and affirm the rest of the district court’s holdings challenged on appeal.