01 June 2008

Whealan weighs in on patent debate

Eileen McDermott spoke to former USPTO solicitor and counsel to the Senate Judiciary Committee on the Patent Reform Act John Whealan about patent reform in the US

One-minute read

The last 12 months have seen strong debate over whether and how the US patent system should be reformed. The USPTO's plans to change the rules on patent claims and continuations have been defeated in court, though the Office has appealed the March decision. At the same time, a proposed US Patent Reform Act led to a fierce lobbying battle on Capitol Hill and has now stalled in the Senate. John Whealan was at the centre of both these issues as a USPTO solicitor who took a year out to work for the Senate Judiciary Committee on the Patent Reform Act. Now an associate dean at GW Law School in Washington DC, Whealan gives his opinions on both issues and also talks about the developments in patent litigation he has seen during his 10-year stint at the USPTO.

A native of Westchester County in New York, John Whealan has been one of the leading figures in Washington DC's IP community for nearly two decades. His trade mark ponytail and impressive reputation as a litigator have earned him a spot in the hearts of US practitioners, judges and professors alike. From the International Trade Commission to Capitol Hill, Whealan has been one of the most active and respected members of the patent bar, and is perhaps best known for his 10-year role as solicitor of the USPTO.

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Whealan weighs in on patent debate

The rest of this article is available to subscribers to Managing IP only.

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