Leaders to answer America Invents Act questions

As the USPTO sorts through feedback from users on how to implement key provisions of the America Invents Act, leaders in the debate will gather on March 27 in Washington DC to answer questions and provide input.

The first annual Patent Reform Forum will be held at the Willard InterContinental Hotel in Washington DC and will include speakers such as USPTO director David Kappos, former chief judge of the Federal Circuit Paul Michel, Robert Armitage of Eli Lilly, former USPTO commissioner for patents Robert Stoll.

These patent leaders will participate in sessions meant to increase attendees’ understanding of the rulemaking process, to address concerns about cost and timing and to examine how different industries are likely to be affected.

Rules on post-grant review, inter partes review, supplemental examination, covered business methods review and derivation proceedings were posted to the USPTO’s website on February 7. Criticism of the rules so far has been mainly focused on the hefty fees attached to these proceedings.

The Patent Reform Forum will kick off with a keynote by Armitage, who played a major role in shaping patent reform legislation. AIPLA executive director Q Todd Dickinson will moderate a roundtable with USPTO officials on the latest rulemaking developments and Kappos will deliver the luncheon keynote.

The day will end in a lively debate between Daniel McCurdy and Raymond Niro who will be discussing the contentious topic of patent trolls. McCurdy is CEO of PatentFreedom, which fights trolls, while Niro has been dubbed the original patent troll.

Managing IP’s fifth annual North America Awards ceremony will take place directly after the Patent Reform Forum at the Four Seasons Georgetown Hotel.

More information on attending the Patent Reform Forum is available online and you can email Marina Fabri with any questions.