I/P Engine, Inc. v. AOL, Inc. et al
Filing
344
Memorandum in Support re 343 MOTION to Seal Portions of the Declaration of Michael Hochberg in Support of Plaintiff's and Defendants' Motions to Seal filed by AOL Inc., Gannett Company, Inc., Google Inc., IAC Search & Media, Inc., Target Corporation. (Noona, Stephen)
UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT
EASTERN DISTRICT OF VIRGINIA
NORFOLK DIVISION
I/P ENGINE, INC.
Plaintiff,
v.
Civil Action No. 2:11-cv-512
AOL INC., et al.,
Defendants.
MEMORANDUM IN SUPPORT OF MOTION TO SEAL PORTIONS OF THE
DECLARATION OF MICHAEL HOCHBERG IN SUPPORT OF PLAINTIFF’S AND
DEFENDANTS’ MOTIONS TO SEAL
In support of their Motion to Seal pursuant to Local Rule 5, and the Protective Order
[Dkt. No. 85] entered in this matter, Defendants Google Inc., Target Corporation, IAC Search &
Media, Inc., Gannett Co., Inc. and AOL Inc. (collectively “Defendants”) state the following:
1.
Defendants have moved the Court for leave to file under seal Portions of the
Declaration of Michael Hochberg in Support of Plaintiff’s and Defendants’ Motions to Seal
(“Portions of the Hochberg Declaration”). Portions of the Hochberg Declaration contain data
that is confidential under the Protective Order entered in this matter on January 23, 2012
(“Protective Order”).
2.
There are three requirements for sealing court findings: (1) public notice with an
opportunity to object; (2) consideration of less drastic alternatives; and (3) a statement of specific
findings in support of a decision to seal and rejecting alternatives to sealing. See, e.g., Flexible
Benefits Council v. Feldman, No. 1:08-CV-371, 2008 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 93039 (E.D. Va. Nov.
13, 2008) (citing Ashcraft v. Conoco, Inc., 218 F.3d 282, 288 (4th Cir. 2000)). Defendants
contend Portions of the Hochberg Declaration contain confidential material that should be
sealed. Defendants specifically state as reasons for sealing the requested pleadings that: The
Hochberg Declaration contains a detailed description of the confidential technical details of how
the accused systems work, and in particular how Google determines which advertisements to
serve. This information and related documents contain extraordinarily sensitive and valuable
information regarding Google's products and the confidential manner in which they work, the
public disclosure of which would cause Google economic and competitive harm and could hurt
Google's customers by increasing the rankings of lower quality advertisements. A lack of Court
protection of the aforementioned information would cause Google severe economic harm
because the information could be used by Google's competitors to attempt to mimic Google's
unique, successful, and, thus far, confidential details of its advertising system.
Defendants have made all reasonable efforts to limit their redactions in compliance with
the law of this Circuit.
3.
An in camera copy of the Hochberg Declaration is being provided to the Court for
review. In light of Defendants’ concerns and the Protective Order, there appears to be no
alternative that appropriately serves Defendants’ expressed confidentiality concerns.
4.
For the sake of consistency with practices governing the case as a whole,
Defendants believe Portions of the Hochberg Declaration should remain sealed and be treated in
accordance with the terms and conditions of the Protective Order.
Accordingly, and in satisfaction of the requirements of Local Rule 5, Defendants
respectfully ask the Court to seal Portions of the Hochberg Declaration.
DATED: September 24, 2012
/s/ Stephen E. Noona
Stephen E. Noona
2
Virginia State Bar No. 25367
KAUFMAN & CANOLES, P.C.
150 West Main Street, Suite 2100
Norfolk, VA 23510
Telephone: (757) 624.3000
Facsimile: (757) 624.3169
senoona@kaufcan.com
David Bilsker
David A. Perlson
QUINN EMANUEL URQUHART &
SULLIVAN, LLP
50 California Street, 22nd Floor
San Francisco, California 94111
Telephone: (415) 875-6600
Facsimile: (415) 875-6700
davidbilsker@quinnemanuel.com
davidperlson@quinnemanuel.com
Counsel for Google Inc., Target Corporation,
IAC Search & Media, Inc., and Gannett Co., Inc.
By: /s/ Stephen E. Noona
Stephen E. Noona
Virginia State Bar No. 25367
KAUFMAN & CANOLES, P.C.
150 W. Main Street, Suite 2100
Norfolk, VA 23510
Telephone: (757) 624-3000
Facsimile: (757) 624-3169
Robert L. Burns
FINNEGAN, HENDERSON, FARABOW, GARRETT &
DUNNER, LLP
Two Freedom Square
11955 Freedom Drive
Reston, VA 20190
Telephone: (571) 203-2700
Facsimile: (202) 408-4400
Cortney S. Alexander
FINNEGAN, HENDERSON, FARABOW, GARRETT &
DUNNER, LLP
3500 SunTrust Plaza
303 Peachtree Street, NE
3
Atlanta, GA 94111
Telephone: (404) 653-6400
Facsimile: (415) 653-6444
Counsel for Defendant AOL Inc.
4
CERTIFICATE OF SERVICE
I hereby certify that on September 24, 2012, I will electronically file the foregoing with
the Clerk of Court using the CM/ECF system, which will send a notification of such filing (NEF)
to the following:
Jeffrey K. Sherwood
Kenneth W. Brothers
DICKSTEIN SHAPIRO LLP
1825 Eye Street NW
Washington, DC 20006
Telephone: (202) 420-2200
Facsimile: (202) 420-2201
sherwoodj@dicksteinshapiro.com
brothersk@dicksteinshapiro.com
Donald C. Schultz
W. Ryan Snow
Steven Stancliff
CRENSHAW, WARE & MARTIN, P.L.C.
150 West Main Street, Suite 1500
Norfolk, VA 23510
Telephone: (757) 623-3000
Facsimile: (757) 623-5735
dschultz@cwm-law.cm
wrsnow@cwm-law.com
sstancliff@cwm-law.com
Counsel for Plaintiff, I/P Engine, Inc.
/s/ Stephen E. Noona
Stephen E. Noona
Virginia State Bar No. 25367
KAUFMAN & CANOLES, P.C.
150 West Main Street, Suite 2100
Norfolk, VA 23510
Telephone: (757) 624.3000
Facsimile: (757) 624.3169
senoona@kaufcan.com
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