Patent Law Practice Center

Patent Law Institute Live Blog: Recent Cases

Our Patent Law Institute live blog continues with the panel entitled, “Recent Cases”. The panel features Robert Neuner, Senior Counsel at Hoffman & Baron, LLP, where he has extensive experience and success in the pretrial, trail, and appeal of patent, copyright, trademark, and trade dress cases. This panel focuses on Microsoft v. i4i, Global-Tech Appliances v. SEB S.A., and Therasense, among others. Here are a few of the highlights from this panel: (more…)

Patent Law Institute Live Blog: PTO Keynote with Robert Stoll

Good morning and welcome to the 6th Annual Patent Law Institute live blog! We will be live blogging from the majority of the Institute’s panels, which will also be accompanied by live tweeting (@plipatentlaw, #PatentLawInstitute). This morning begins with the keynote address from Robert L. Stoll. Robert has had a long career with the USPTO, serving as Commissioner for Patents, Dean of Training and Education, and director of the Office of Enforcement for the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO). Robert is currently at Drinker, Biddle, & Reath LLP. Here are the highlights from Robert’s update on the PTO: (more…)

Chief Judge Rader to Speak at Patent Law Institute on All-Star Panel!

Patent law heavyweights will convene for what looks to be two very special days in New York City at PLI’s 6^th Annual Patent Law Institute on February 16-17^th.

 Chief Judge Randall Rader of the Federal Circuit will participate in an all-star dialogue panel between the bench and bar along with United States District Judge William Young and nationally-recognized expert practitioners Donald Dunner, Seth Waxman and Dean John Whealan of the George Washington University Law School.

Robert Stoll, who recently retired as Commissioner for Patents at the USPTO, is slated to open the program with a PTO keynote address. Commissioner Stoll is expected to report the latest developments regarding the PTO’s on-going implementation of the America Invents Act and other critical PTO developments.

Co-Chairs Scott M. Alter (Faegre Baker Daniels LLP), Douglas R. Nemec (Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP) and John M. White (Berenato & White; Director of Patent Professional Development, Practising Law Institute) will navigate attendees through 6 exciting plenary sessions that discuss the practice impacts of recent Supreme Court and Federal Circuit decisions, AIA changes, current critical patent issues from the corporate counsel perspective, views from the District Court bench, the never-ending PTO changes and for good measure, an hour of legal ethics credit! (more…)

PLI’s 6th Annual Patent Law Institute

PLI’s 6th Annual Patent Law Institute is on February 15-16 in New York (and via web) and on March 19-20 in San Francisco.  The Institute is designed to be of ultimate practice value to all three subgroups in the patent law community:patent prosecutors, patent litigators, and strategic & transactional lawyers. The two-day schedule includes 6 plenary sessions of interest to all patent lawyers and a separate breakout track for prosecution, litigation and strategic/transactional lawyers. Each track features six sessions focused on each of those three practice subgroups. You design the 2-day schedule that best meets your professional needs.

Do not miss this unique opportunity to sharpen your practice skills and to network with federal judges, USPTO officials, in-house counsel and outstanding outside patent lawyers.

What you will learn

Plenary sessions include:

• Keynote Address by Robert L. Stoll, Commissioner of Patents
• A dialogue with Federal Circuit Chief Judge Randall R. Rader
• Corporate counsel divulge critical issues that keep them awake at night
• A distinguished panel of Judges from critical U.S. District Courts
• The practice impact of recent Supreme Court and Federal Circuit decisions
• Special Feature: Earn 1 hour of legal ethics credit



Click here for more information about the Patent Law Institute

 

Birch Stewart on the McKesson Tech v. Epic Systems Decision

Leonard R. Svensson, Partner at Birch Stewart Kolasch & Birch, sent in this post discussing the recent McKesson Technologis v. Epic Systems decision and how it may impact those in the medical diagnostic or treatment fields.

On April 12^th the Federal Circuit issued another decision related to joint infringement situations. This should be another warning to those drafting method claims, particularly in the medical diagnostic or treatment fields. The decision perhaps also portends a future en banc review of the issue. This follows the pattern of several decisions discussed by my partner, Jerry Murphy (Practice Center Contributor), and I at PLI’s 5th Annual Patent Law Institute during our lecture on Federal Circuit decisions in 2010 in the life sciences field.  (Click on the link to view Mr. Svensson and Mr. Murphy’s presentation “All Things Chemical & Biotechnical At The PTO“).

In the April 12^th case of McKesson Technologies v. Epic Systems, the patent owner McKesson tried to enforce a patent on a method of electronically communicating between health care providers and patients. Epic Systems developed software and licensed it to heath care providers who used the software to communicate with patients. But since the steps of the method claims were performed by a combination of the patients and the health care providers, the Federal Circuit agreed with the District Court’s finding on summary judgment of no infringement by Epic Systems. (more…)