U.S. Patent Reform (Part 1): Impact of the New U.S. “First-Inventor-to-File” System

The America Invents Act (AIA) brought a number of sweeping changes to the U.S. patent system. One major change that most in Europe eagerly awaited is the move toward the adoption of a first-to-file system. But, the new U.S. “first-inventor-to-file” system still differs from the first-to-file systems of Europe and elsewhere in the world. In fact, the AIA includes a number of important distinctions, some straightforward and some subtle—all of which must be understood by the patent practitioner. If not, an argument or amendment with unintended consequences could be presented to the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. And because the old U.S. law could still remain applicable for years to come (depending on the effective filing date of an application), it is crucial to understand the differences between the old and new U.S. systems, and how these differences will impact prosecution and litigation strategies.

Please join our panel as they discuss the implications of the new “first-inventor-to-file” system, including:

• A comparison of the old and new definitions of prior art in the U.S.;

• The potential effect of an inventor’s own disclosure of the claimed subject matter prior to filing; and

• Tactics for facing the harsh reality of prosecuting patent applications and litigating issued U.S. patents in the U.S. while two different systems continue to apply.

This webinar is the second in Finnegan’s Fall 2011 series, “Strategic U.S. Patent Series for European Counsel.” We hope you are able to attend.

Speakers:

Timothy J. May

Mark D. Sweet

Time:

16:00 CET

10:00 EST

Register

Registration for all webinars is free of charge. Webinar access information will be sent upon registration.