The PTAB Bar Association's 2021 Thought Leader Summit was a virtual event held on January 28, 2021, organized by the PTAB Bar Association. This summit brought together leading practitioners, judges, and industry experts to discuss significant developments and future directions in practice before the Patent Trial and Appeal Board (PTAB).
The summit featured two main panel sessions. The first, titled "PTAB Judge’s Panel," provided an overview of the most impactful PTAB decisions from 2020, including those designated as precedential and informative. Judges shared their insights on these decisions and their implications for future proceedings. The second session, "An Industry and Practitioner Look Forward," explored anticipated changes in PTAB practice, offering perspectives from both industry representatives and practitioners on current challenges and potential solutions.
In addition to the panel discussions, the event included virtual roundtable discussions designed to foster interactive dialogue among attendees and PTAB judges. These sessions allowed participants to engage directly with judges on various topics, enhancing the collaborative atmosphere of the summit.
The summit was particularly beneficial for attorneys, patent agents, and other professionals involved in PTAB practice. It provided a platform to stay informed about recent developments, gain insights from experienced judges and practitioners, and engage in meaningful discussions about the future of PTAB proceedings.
Speakers(22)
Ashraf Fawzy
Legal Team Lead at Unified Patents
Ashraf leads Unified's standard essential patent legal team and manages legal strategy, litigation, and licensing for Unified, including PTAB proceedings and appeals. Prior to joining Unified, he practiced at Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld LLP for nine years.
Dave Kappos
Partner at Cravath
Dave Kappos is a partner at Cravath, Swaine & Moore LLP, focusing on intellectual property law.
David C. McKone
Lead Judge at USPTO
Lead Judge David McKone serves at the United States Patent and Trademark Office.
Grace Obermann
Administrative Patent Judge at USPTO
Administrative Patent Judge Grace Obermann serves at the United States Patent and Trademark Office.
James Worth
Lead Judge at USPTO
Lead Judge James Worth serves at the United States Patent and Trademark Office.
Joe Matal
Partner at Haynes and Boone, LLP
Joe Matal is a partner at Haynes and Boone, LLP, specializing in intellectual property law.
Kalyan Deshpande
Lead Judge at USPTO
Judge Deshpande received a J.D. degree from The Ohio State University, Michael Moritz College of Law and a Bachelor of Science degree in Engineering from Case Western Reserve University. He began serving as an administrative patent judge in 2011.
Karl Renner
President Elect at PTAB Bar Association
Karl Renner was the President Elect of the PTAB Bar Association at the time of the 2021 Thought Leader Summit.
Ken Barrett
Acting Lead Judge at USPTO
Ken Barrett was appointed to the position of Administrative Patent Judge in August 2008. Prior to his appointment, he served for ten years as a Trial Attorney in the Intellectual Property Section of the Civil Division’s Commercial Litigation Branch at the United States Department of Justice.
Kevin Turner
Lead Judge at USPTO
Lead Judge Kevin Turner serves at the United States Patent and Trademark Office.
Linda E. Horner
Administrative Patent Judge at USPTO
Administrative Patent Judge Linda Horner serves at the United States Patent and Trademark Office.
Matt Anderson
IP Litigation Lead at Medtronic
Matt Anderson leads the IP Litigation team at Medtronic, a global leader in medical technology. Before joining Medtronic, he was a partner at McAndrews, Held & Malloy, Ltd. in Chicago, specializing in IP litigation and transactions.
Melissa Haapala
Lead Judge at USPTO
Lead Judge Melissa Haapala serves at the United States Patent and Trademark Office.
Michael Tierney
Vice Chief Judge at USPTO
Vice Chief Judge Michael Tierney serves at the United States Patent and Trademark Office.
Michelle N. Ankenbrand
Lead Administrative Patent Judge at USPTO
Michelle N. Ankenbrand is a Lead Administrative Patent Judge at the Patent Trial and Appeal Board of the United States Patent and Trademark Office. She joined the Board as an Administrative Judge in 2014 and presides over trial proceedings under the AIA and appeals arising from adverse decisions of patent examiners.
Scott Moore
Lead Judge at USPTO
Lead Judge Scott Moore serves at the United States Patent and Trademark Office.
Scott R. Boalick
Chief Judge at USPTO
The Honorable Scott R. Boalick is the Chief Judge for the Patent Trial and Appeal Board (PTAB). In this role, he leads the PTAB as it conducts post-grant trials and hears appeals from adverse examiner decisions in patent applications and reexamination proceedings.
Scott Weidenfeller
Vice Chief Judge at USPTO
Vice Chief Judge Scott Weidenfeller serves at the United States Patent and Trademark Office.
Steve Baughman
President at PTAB Bar Association
Steve Baughman served as the President of the PTAB Bar Association during the 2021 Thought Leader Summit.
Teresa S. Rea
Secretary at PTAB Bar Association
Teresa Rea was the Secretary of the PTAB Bar Association during the 2021 Thought Leader Summit.
Thomas L. Giannetti
Administrative Patent Judge at USPTO
Administrative Patent Judge Thomas Giannetti serves at the United States Patent and Trademark Office.
William Fink
Vice Chief Judge at USPTO
Vice Chief Judge William Fink serves at the United States Patent and Trademark Office.
Event Details
- Date
- October 8, 2021
- Location
- 🇺🇸 United States
- Virtual Event
- Pricing
- $5,000 sponsorship
- Audience
- Attorneys, patent agents, and professionals involved in PTAB practice.
- CLE Credits
- CLE accreditation pending