The e-symposium, which anyone can access for free, starts at 11.00 am EDT this Wednesday September 3.

It comprises a keynote speech followed by four panel discussions on topical issues in patents.

By registering to take part in the e-symposium, you will be able to hear all of the discussions and follow the presentations online, as well as asking questions of the speakers.

To register for the e-symposium, you must do so in advance. For more information, please click here.

The e-symposium will start with a keynote address by Professor John Duffy on global legal innovation and the future of patent rights.

The first roundtable discussion starts at 11.30 am EDT and is sponsored by Oblon Spivak. It focuses on patent reform and speakers will include Gary Griswold of 3M and John Whealan of George Washington University Law School.

Among the speakers in the second roundtable, which covers international litigation strategies and is sponsored by Fish & Richardson, is Wulf Höflich of Airbus Group. It starts at 12.30 pm EDT.

The third roundtable, starting at 1.30 pm EDT, looks at new trends in monetising IP rights. It is sponsored by Finnegan and James Malackowski of Ocean Tomo is among the speakers.

The e-symposium concludes with a discussion on the rise of the patent troll, sponsored by LexisNexis. Mark Walker of IBM is among the speakers.

The final panel starts at 2.30 pm EDT and the e-symposium will finish at 3.30 pm.