PTAB Bar Association 2019 Annual Conference

The 2019 PTAB Bar Association Annual Conference, organized by the PTAB Bar Association, took place from March 14 to 15, 2019, at the Ritz-Carlton in Washington, D.C. This event brought together practitioners, in-house counsel, and members of the bench to discuss best practices, recent developments, and trends related to the Patent Trial and Appeal Board (PTAB).

Key topics covered during the conference included the implementation of the claim construction final rule in PTAB trials, insights from Administrative Patent Judges on PTAB trials, and the interplay between the PTAB, district courts, and the International Trade Commission. Sessions also addressed motions to amend at the PTAB, advanced issues related to real party-in-interest and privity disputes, and ethical considerations before the PTAB.

The conference featured pre-conference sessions such as a "PTAB Master Class" for experienced practitioners and a "Bootcamp" for those seeking an overview of inter partes reviews, post-grant reviews, covered business method reviews, and appeals. Notable speakers included Federal Circuit judges and Administrative Patent Judges from the United States Patent and Trademark Office.

This event was ideal for attorneys, patent agents, in-house counsel, and law students interested in PTAB practice, offering opportunities to stay abreast of rulemaking, procedures, and jurisprudence emanating from the PTAB.