Patent Reform

March 15, 2013 is the last day for the decades-old U.S. patent regime, and for patent attorneys, this date is every bit as foreboding for them as it was for Caesar himself. The America Invents Act (AIA) is ushering in a raft of new rules and spawning regulations that upend generations of established prosecution and litigation practices, leaving no small amount of fear and consternation in its wake. But the Act also presents savvy practitioners with opportunities to enhance their IP portfolios’ value and undermine rivals’ patents - thanks to a bevy of new pre-and post-issuance procedures.

Nevertheless, the full effects of countless nuances sprinkled throughout the AIA and the full implications of regulations promulgated under it remain unknown, and patent practitioners are left with a multitude of questions regarding the potential ramifications for their craft. With so much at stake, you must develop a plan to address both the changes already in effect and those whose coming implementation looms just one day past that fateful date - the Ides of March.

American Conference Institute’s 2nd Comprehensive Guide to Patent Reform once again unites experienced in-house counsel from top innovators, private practice experts, and senior officials from the USPTO to answer patent professionals’ most pressing questions, including:

• What does “first to file” actually mean under the AIA requirements? Which system can you or should you file under – the current first to invent or the new first to file (or both)? And how do you avoid first-to-file bubble filings before 3/15/2013?
• When can on-sale and public use activity be considered prior art? Has secret §102(f) prior art been eliminated?
• Do you need to include best mode in the application or not and what happens if you don’t? Is best mode completely toothless now? How will examiners be able to address the best mode issue?
• What will be required in the PGR process? What type of discovery? Expert witnesses? How do the estoppel provisions alter your analysis of whether to engage in the PGR system?
• What estoppel provisions are associated with IPRs and how are these different from the inter partes reexamination provisions? When do you file a 3rd party parallel IPR?

Do not miss this opportunity to join your colleagues in an advanced think-tank discussion regarding the practical impact of patent reform on innovation and patent practice. As this event is sure to sell out, reserve your place today to ensure you are a part of the discussion and have the information that you need to navigate this radically different legal landscape by calling 888-224-2480, faxing your registration form to 877-927-1563 or registering on-line at www.americanconference.com/patentreform.

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