Patent and Trademark Appeal Board Live Proceedings at Law Schools

The United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) will be holding live Patent Trial and Appeal Board America Invents Act (PTAB AIA) trial proceedings and Trademark Trial and Appeal Board (TTAB) appeal and opposition proceedings at law schools across the country over the next two weeks.  Also, the Board judges will share tips for successful advocacy and experienced Board practitioners will discuss strategies for winning before the TTAB and PTAB. Attendees will see judges and counsel in action during an actual Board proceedings and gain familiarity with the structure and format of PTAB and TTAB proceedings

The events are free and open to the public, but registration is required. Continuing Legal Education (CLE) credits will be offered.

 Law School Visit Schedule:

The venue locations, program agenda, speaker information, and case materials are available on each linked website below.

Dallas, Texas - Southern Methodist University - Dedman School of Law  -

Wednesday, February 24, 2016
To register, RSVP

Atlanta, Georgia - Emory Law School
Friday, February 26, 2016
To register, RSVP

Columbia, Missouri - University of Missouri School of Law
Tuesday, March 1, 2016
To register, RSVP

Salt Lake City, Utah - University of Utah - S.J Quinney College of Law
Friday, March 4, 2016

To register, RSVP

USPTO Texas Regional Office Trademark Seminar

When: Tuesday, February 23, 2016 from 9:00 AM to 3:00 PM (CST) 

Where: Texas Regional Office--USPTO - 702 South Houston Street Dallas, TX 75202

The United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) will host its first Texas Regional Office Trademark Seminar on February 23, 2016, at its Texas Regional Office in Dallas, Texas.

Representatives from the USPTO headquarters in Alexandria, Virginia and local trademark attorneys will be on hand to conduct an all-day Trademark workshop.

There is no fee to register, but space is limited.  To register, visit USPTO Texas Regional Office Trademark Seminar Eventbrite (link is external)

Separate registration(s) is required for the morning and/or afternoon session(s). Morning session is focused for applicants. The afternoon session is designed for both applicants and practitioners. 

For additional information or questions about the conference, please call 469-295-9000 or email to TexasRegionalUSPTOEvents@USPTO.GOV (link sends e-mail)

 Agenda

09:00 A.M. - 09:30 A.M.
Registration and Mingle

09:30 A.M. - 09:45 A.M.
Welcome Remarks

• Hope Shimabuku, Regional Director, Texas Regional Office U.S. Patent and Trademark Office

09:45 A.M. - 10:30 A.M.
Trademarks 101

• Mary Boney Denison, Commissioner for Trademarks, U.S. Patent and Trademark Office

10:30 A.M. - 11:30 A.M.
Filing options, Pro Se v. Counsel v. Law School Clinic

• Mary Boney Denison, Commissioner for Trademarks, U.S. Patent and Trademark Office
• Robert Johnston, Johnston Law
• David Cho, SMU Law School Clinic

11:30 A.M. - 12:00 A.M.
What is next after you have your trademark

• Dallas Entrepreneur Center

12:00 P.M. - 01:00 P.M.
Lunch on your own

01:00 P.M. - 02:00 P.M.
Petitions

• Lydia Belzer, Senior Trademark Attorney, U.S. Patent and Trademark Office
• Robert LeBlanc, Haynes and Boone, LLP

02:00 P.M. - 03:00 P.M.
Recent Office Developments

• Mary Boney Denison, Commissioner for Trademarks, U.S. Patent and Trademark Office

 

Patent Trial and Appeal Board (PTAB) and Trademark Trail and Appeal Board (TTAB) is coming to Dallas, Texas

PTAB/TTAB Stadium Tour - Wednesday, Feb. 24, 2016 at Southern Methodist University - Dedman School of Law 

The USPTO is pleased to partner with law schools across the country to showcase actual PTAB AIA trial proceedings and actual TTAB appeal and opposition proceedings.  In addition to the Board proceedings, the USPTO and partner law schools will offer educational sessions about practice before the Boards.  Specifically, the Board judges will share tips for successful advocacy, and experienced Board practitioners will discuss strategies for winning before the TTAB and PTAB.

This event is free and open to the public.  Please RSVP as indicated below.  CLE credit will be offered.
  
To register for this event, please RSVP at http://www.law.smu.edu/forms/uspto-ptab-ttab-stadium-tours.aspx

Agenda:

Segment	Time	Topic
1	12 to 12:45 pm	Student Roundtable
2	12:45 to 1 pm	BREAK
3	1 to 1:15 pm	Welcome and Opening Remarks
4	1:15 to 1:20 pm	Introduction of PTAB AIA Trial Proceeding
5	1:20 to 2:50 pm	PTAB AIA Trial Proceeding
6	2:50 to 3:00 pm	BREAK
7	3:00 to 3:30 pm	PTAB and TTAB Judge Panel Tips for Successful Written Briefing and Oral Arguments
8	3:30 to 4:00 pm	Practitioner Panel Strategies for Appealing Cases to the PTAB and TTAB
9	4:00 to 4:15 pm	BREAK
10	4:15 to 4:20 pm	Introduction of TTAB Appeal Proceeding
11	4:20 to 5:20 pm	TTAB Appeal Proceeding
12	5:20 to 5:30 pm	Closing Remarks

Materials:

• Trademark Case for Hearing:
  • In Re Loggerhead Tools 
• Patent Case for Hearing:  Forthcoming

Click the link below to see the list of other law schools that participate in this Stadium Tour.
http://www.uspto.gov/patents-application-process/patent-trial-and-appeal-board/ptabttab-stadium-tour-website

Nominations for National Medal of Technology and Innovation

According to a Jan. 13, 2016 press release, the nomination period is open until April 1 for the  2016 National Medal of Technology and Innovation. The President presents the medal each year to individuals, teams (up to four individuals), companies, or divisions of companies for their outstanding contributions to America's economic, environmental, and social well-being. "The purpose of the National Medal of Technology and Innovation is to recognize those who have made lasting contributions to America's competitiveness, standard of living, and quality of life through technological innovation, and to recognize those who have made substantial contributions to strengthening the nation's technological workforce."

More information is available from the USPTO's National Medal of Technology and Innovation (NMTI) home page.