Attorney Steve® Software Copyright Litigation - Ansys Software insights from the IP trenches. If you are dealing with an Ansys legal demand or lawsuit for software piracy call us. Few, if any firms have our level of experience dealing with this company. Call (877) 276-5084.
Introduction
Ansys has super expensive software, and anyone or any company alleged to have infringed (and even mere individuals in between jobs or student) will likely experience a tough road ahead. Vondran Legal has handled nearly a 1,000 software audits and disputes including litigation, but this company can be very aggressive. This blog focuses on some of the allegations made against them by others and shows you what you might be in for if you receive a demand letter (many seeking several hundreds of thousands of dollars).
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Ansys Texas Lawsuit
Ansys filed a large mass software piracy lawsuit in Texas. For the most part this was a "fishing expedition" they knew or should have known they had no personal jurisdiction over a good number of the people and companies (IP addresses) they were suing (i.e many are not from Texas where the lawsuit was filed). But that did not stop them from seeking to uncover names and addresses of internet subscribers so they could try to go after them even after they DISMISSED their lawsuit WITHOUT PREJUDICE. After dismissing the lawsuit, they can and do send legal letters demanding SEVERAL HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS often claiming lost profits which is normally not the case.
Many of our clients work for companies that are exceptional paying clients, but that is not determinative. Many of my clients are or were students at the time of the download (from websites Ansys cannot apparently figure out how to take down) resulting in a fertile honeypot for unsuspecting downloaders, with some even thinking they were downloading a free trial version (again, from sites apparently never subject to a DMCA takedown which could be easily done). Obviously, the goal seems to be to hammer good people that may have made honest mistakes. In fact, many of our clients are from foreign countries where copyright law is non-existent.
Instead of trying to educate and build goodwill, Ansys may refer to an infringer as "pirates." They then demand hundreds of thousands of dollars, at times willing to compromise for less, and are willing to look at a reduced settlement usually only if a client provides ALL OF THEIR FINANCIAL INFORMATION, including their social security number and a sworn declaration as to their finances. Many find this approach over the top and intrusive.
As a copyright law firm that has handled approximately a thousand software disputes with companies like Microsoft, Adobe, Autodesk, Vero/Hexagon, Solidworks/Dassault etc., just realize you need experienced legal representation to guide you through this. Here are some allegations from others who have filed suit against them in the same situation:
Here is another complaint filed against Ansys by Scott and Scott, LLP
You may start to see a common theme developing:
Here is a case where Ansys was accused of being a PATENT PIRATE (sometimes the tables are turned).
Here were some of the allegations made against them.
Aggressive recovery tactics
Here are a few things I have noticed having settled a good number of these cases:
- They want to make sure they get everything they can, and leave nothing on the table, this can force a review of your private financial records;
2. There is little sympathy for those who may have been out of a job and trying to build skills so they can get a new job;
3. If there is work done on behalf of an employer, they could seek to go after them as well;
4. There seems to be no consideration of foreign born individuals who grew up under different versions of copyright law (or no copyright law for that matter).
Contact an Ansys Software Defense Lawyer - We are tops in Defense!
Photo courtesy of LexMachina. We are the top defense law firm on this list. The others handle Plaintiff cases.
Conclusion - Contact an Ansys Defense Law Firm
This company cuts no breaks and definitely looks at infringement as a profit center. They want all your financial information and will demand settlements that can exceed 500k. Some software companies like to roll like this. I would suggest there are better ways to handle these cases. We defend against this over-aggressive approach. Call us at (877) 276-5084 or fill out our contact form and we will contact you. We are a premier software defense law firm in the United States since 2004. Unicourt.com has identified Vondran Legal® as the #1 copyright infringement defense law firm in the UNITED STATES in terms of cases handled in 2020, 2021 and most likely 2022. In this niche area of copyright law, there is NO SUBSTITUTE for experience.
