PTAB Bar Association Thought Leader Summit 2023

The PTAB Bar Association's Thought Leader Summit 2023 was held on October 5, 2023, at the United States Patent and Trademark Office's Madison Building Auditorium in Alexandria, Virginia. This annual event, organized by the PTAB Bar Association, brought together practitioners, in-house counsel, industry experts, and judges from the Patent Trial and Appeal Board (PTAB) to discuss and explore current topics in PTAB practice.

The summit featured two Continuing Legal Education (CLE) sessions. The first session was a panel discussion titled "Hot Topics Before the PTAB, Including Potential Changes to PTAB Practice from the Advance Notice of Proposed Rulemaking," which examined recent developments and proposed rule changes affecting PTAB proceedings. The second session consisted of roundtable discussions with PTAB judges, covering topics such as prior art stipulations, restrictions on serial or multiple petitions, real parties-in-interest, joinder and its relationship to parallel proceedings and estoppel, the impact of Amgen v. Sanofi on disclosure and enablement determinations, obviousness and design patents, and Section 101 and Alice Step 2 analysis.

Following the educational sessions, attendees had the opportunity to network with peers and colleagues during a reception from 5:00 pm to 6:30 pm. This in-person event provided a platform for meaningful connections and discussions among professionals involved in PTAB practice.

The Thought Leader Summit was particularly beneficial for attorneys, patent agents, and other professionals engaged in PTAB proceedings, offering insights into recent developments and practical strategies for navigating the evolving landscape of PTAB practice.