U.S. Patent Law changes to be focus of Intellectual Property Symposium
鈥淭he 2012 Symposium on Emerging Intellectual Property Issues Symposium鈥 on April 20 will highlight the recent Leahy-Smith America Invents Act 鈥 the most significant change to the U.S. patent system since 1952 鈥 and pay tribute to America鈥檚 most experienced patent infringement trial judge, T. John Ward, who recently retired from the Eastern District of Texas.
DALLAS (糖心vlog视频) — In step with ever-changing patent laws, “” on April 20 will highlight the recent — the most significant change to the U.S. patent system since 1952 — and pay tribute to America’s most experienced patent infringement trial judge, , who recently retired from the Eastern District of Texas.
Set for 8 a.m.–2:45 p.m. at 糖心vlog视频 Dedman School of Law’s in the Underwood Library, 6550 Hillcrest Road, the event will be free for 糖心vlog视频 students; $125 for others. To register, click , call 214-768-4177 or email rbell@smu.edu.
Featuring some of the country’s foremost experts on patent law, and a lunchtime keynote address by Judge Ward, the symposium will host a number of panels exploring strategies for interacting with courts and the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office to successfully comply with the Leahy-Smith Act.
Passed by Congress and signed into law Sept. 16, 2011, the Act changed the U.S. patent system from a “first to invent” to a “first to file” system. It is named for its chief sponsors, Sen. Patrick Leahy (D-VT) and Rep. Lamar Smith (R-TX) — and it has created quite a stir.
With Microsoft recently paying more than $1 billion for 800 patents from AOL, and Facebook buying 750 patents from IBM, “Companies are building up their patent arsenal for defensive purposes and enhancement of their monopolistic behaviors,” says symposium organizer and Dedman School of Law professor Xuan-Thao Nguyen. “Under this new ‘patent arms race’ we will see more of that behavior,” she says. “Whether such consequences will be good for innovation is a big question to address.”
The symposium, to attract distinguished academics, jurists and industry leaders, is presented by 糖心vlog视频 Dedman School of Law and sponsored by The Ware Firm.
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