A final rejection at the United States Patent and Trademark Office or a summons to oral proceedings at the European Patent Office are the ways in which examiners indicate there are grounds on which an application may be refused. The manner in which applicants use the options available to respond to the issue of a final rejection or summons can have significant impact not only on the likelihood of success, but also on how the issues under consideration might be appealed or addressed in other ways, irrespective of the merits of the arguments put forward.
Please join us as we discuss tips on how to avoid triggering actions on the part of the examiner that make progress difficult, and how the costs and outcome can be influenced. Topics will include:
- When to respond: even though there may be several months between the official communication and either the final deadline or oral proceedings, the timing of a response can have a significant impact on further proceedings;
- Contact with the examiner: when calling an examiner can help move things forward;
- Presentation of amendments or fallback positions: what can be done to ensure that amendments and arguments are best considered;
- Setting up the appeal: what needs to be done to ensure that all necessary points can be raised in any appeal; and
- Alternatives: continuations and divisionals.
This webinar is the second in Finnegan’s 2015 “Strategic U.S. Patent Series for European Counsel.” We hope you are able to attend.
Moderator:
Anthony C. Tridico, Ph.D.
Speakers:
Martin D. Hyden
Mark D. Sweet
Date:
Wednesday, May 13, 2015
Time:
15:00 - 16:00 BST
16:00 - 17:00 CEST
10:00 a.m. - 11:00 a.m. EDT
