Bi-monthly Program Will Address AIA Trials & Ex Parte Appeals

Starting next week, February 3rd, the USPTO’s Patent Trial & Appeal Board (PTAB) will host its inaugural “Boardside Chat” lunch webinar. The purpose of the chats is to update the public on current Board activities and statistics as well as to regularly gather feedback. The schedule of topics through October is listed below.

Date

 Time

 Topic

 Speakers
Tuesday, February 3

 Noon to 1 pm Eastern Time

 PTAB Statistics and Key Decisions

Chief Judge James Donald Smith
Tuesday, April 7

 Do’s and Don’ts for Ex Parte Appeals

 Panel of Administrative Patent Judges
Tuesday, June 2

 Discovery in AIA Trials

 Panel of Practitioners and Administrative Patent Judges
Tuesday, August 4

 AIA Rulemaking and Guidance Changes

 Lead Judge Susan Mitchell
Tuesday, October 6

 Best Practices before the PTAB

 Panel of Administrative Patent Judges

Note the February, June and August topics are dedicated to trial practice, the April program to ex parte appeals. As discussed previously, some notice and comment rule making on AIA trial procedures is expected in the spring, hence the August topic. The “quick-fix” changes expected this month appear to be delayed a few weeks due to typical complications pertaining to the Federal Register publishing.

The Boardside Chat series will be a valued source of information for both the PTAB and interested public and should not be missed. The Instructions for next week’s webinar are provided below.

Webcast Instructions for Tuesday, February 3:

Event address for attendees: https://uspto-events2.webex.com/uspto-events2/onstage/g.php?MTID=e26061533ffc851f338af0ad718660c3f
Event number: 313 818 218
Event password: 123456
Dial In: 1-571-270-7000
Captions Link: http://www.captionedtext.com/client/embed.aspx?EventID=2532507