Presented Virtually
March – August 2024
ABA-IPL is pleased to present The Chair’s Town Hall: Building a Better Patent System, a series of six CLE webinars. Each 90-minute CLE program will be followed by a half-hour interactive exchange among panel members and the audience.
The goal of the series is to address the most vexing issues confronting the patent system today. This undertaking will involve bringing together thought leaders and interested members of the public to build consensus and ultimately propose concrete solutions to improve the patent system. All are encouraged to register and add their voices to the discussion.
A schedule of programs and a brief overview of individual session topics appears below. Visit registration links for detailed descriptions.
March 21, 4:00 pm (Eastern)
Session One: The Quest for More Globally Harmonized, Transparent “Prior Art”– Adoption of a Publicly Available ”Standard”– Listen to the On-Demand Program Now.
Should “secret prior art”, i.e., prior art that is not publicly available, be eliminated?
April 25, 4:00 pm (Eastern): On-Demand Program Available Now!
Session Two: Inequitable Conduct – Does the non-statutory defense act as a barrier to procuring reliable and durable patents?
May 9, 2024
Session 3: Incorrect Inventorship – Registration Now Open!
Should misjoinder be eliminated as a ground of invalidity and should Section 262 be amended to require accounting to unnamed inventors later found to be inventors to motivate applicants to get it right in the first instance?
June 13, 4:00 pm (Eastern)
Session 4: Addressing Patent Thickets" and "Submarine Patents" Via Continuing/Reissue Application Reforms – Registration Now Open!
Some would argue that continuation patents have become the modern version of “submarine” patents from the era before patent application publication; should adjustments be made to the patent system to mitigate the alleged “patent thickets” created by continuation practice?
June 25, 4:00 pm (Eastern)
Session 5: Recrafting 35 U.S.C. 112(f) to Preserve Validity of Claims Containing Functional Terminology – Registration Now Open!
How does one provide a reasonable scope of patent protection while meeting the disclosure requirements of the underlying bargain?
July 11, 2024
Session 6: How Far Can, And Should , USPTO Rulemaking Proceed in Addressing Issues of Double Patenting?– Registration Now Open!
Does OTDP serve any policy purpose in a patent system that provides a term of 20-years from filing?
Register for each session individually. ABA-IPL Section members register at no charge. General attendance costs $100 for each program.
Don’t miss the chance to be a part of this exciting series! Contact [email protected] with any questions.