As extensively reported by RPX, the acquisition and assertion of operating company patents by NPEs remained a significant driver of litigation throughout 2020. Be prepared for this long-term trend to possibly accelerate as a result of the COVID-19 recession. If past is prologue, the current financial crisis will likely be followed by years of increased patent divestments by operating companies—including to NPEs.

Late October saw a number of patent assignments to NPEs recorded with the USPTO. The assignees included publicly traded NPE Quest Patent Research Corporation (QPRC) as well as entities associated with monetization firms Harfang IP Investment Corp (d/b/a Harfang IP) and IPValuation Partners LLC (d/b/a IPVal).