2020 CLE Calendar

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January 10, 2020 (Noon, Belo) 

Fireside Chat with Andrei Iancu, Director of the United States Patent and Trademark Office.

Under Secretary of Commerce for Intellectual Property and Director of the United States Patent and Trademark Office Andrei Iancu will be speaking at a Fireside Chat at the Belo Mansion on Friday, January 10th, at 12pm. This event will take place at the monthly meeting of the Dallas Bar Association Intellectual Property Law Section. During this event, Director Iancu will discuss the importance of innovation and technology, and what the USPTO is doing to encourage innovation. Professor David O. Taylor from Southern Methodist University Dedman School of Law will moderate this event.

 

February 27, 2020 (Noon, Belo) 

Topic: "Navigating Section 101 in Patent Prosecution Matters,” which will include a discussion of traditional abstract idea and natural law/phenomenon as applied to different technology fields. 

Speakers: Thomas Hiesberger and Gary Solomon of Dentons.

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March 11, 2020 (Wed., 8:00am)

North Dallas CLE Committee will host a free breakfast CLE program.

Blue Mesa Grill on 14866 Montfort Drive, Addison, TX. 

The CLE will be a table moderated discussion on patent prosecution strategies and hypotheticals. 

Breakfast and coffee provided. 

 

April 23 (Noon, Virtual Belo Zoom)

Topic:  Venue: Practical Tips from Young Litigators for the

Post-TC Heartland World (CLE, 1.00 hr)

Speakers: Jeff Becker, Baker Botts LLP
Matthew Cornelia, McGuire Woods:
Megan LaDriere, Baker Botts LLP
Stephanie Sivinski, Haynes and Boone

If you wish to participate, you must register before the program begins by using the following link.  After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the webinar.

 

May 28 (Noon, Virtual TK Webex)

Topic:  “Tips for Prosecuting in View of Litigation/What Litigators

Want to See in a Patent” (CLE, 1.00 hr) 

Speaker: Vishal Patel of Thompson & Knight LLP

      The prosecution of a patent usually takes place before robust markets for the technology exist, and long before the resulting patent is involved in litigation. This presentation will address several strategies in the patenting process that may help maximize the value of the patent portfolio when asserted years later.  

        If you wish to participate, you need only join the CLE program at the TK Webex video/tele  link provided below at the time of the CLE program.  This is an updated link from the prior link provided, and the Host, Access Code, and Event Password are provided below (as well as a conference call-in number if you want to participate by phone).  When it's time, join the Webex videoconference event here.  [Host: TK Events (tk.events@tklaw.com), Event number (access code): 967 174 028, Event password: k4GDnHZgC24, Join audio conference: +1-408-418-9388]

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Thursday, June 18, 2020, Live WebEx

Trademark Boot Camp - Nuts and Bolts of Trademark Law

8:15 am – 11:30 am, 3.0 hours CLE credit

The Trademark Boot Camp will provide the nuts and bolts of trademark law, including an overview of what trademarks are, why to protect them, how to select a trademark, and file a trademark.  The program also will include an overview of the examination process, with a presentation by Lydia Belzer, USPTO Trademark Managing Attorney. The program will conclude by discussing maintenance of trademarks, challenging trademarks, and USPTO resources for trademark law.  Registration is free but limited and closes at 10am on Wednesday, June 17, 2020.  Register early here.  A link to the WebEx will be sent to your email as registered. Contact Marylauren Ilagan at marylauren.ilagan@mkcorp.com with any questions.

 

Thursday, June 18, 2020, Live WebEx 

Trademark Boot Camp – Trademark Trial and Appeal Board (TTAB) Practice featuring Live TTAB Hearings and a Fireside Chat with TTAB Judges

12:30 pm – 4:00 pm, CLE pending

An overview of TTAB Practice, as well as two unique opportunities that the USPTO has graciously arranged for us: (1) two live-streamed TTAB Hearings; and (2) a Fireside Chat with a TTAB Judges Panel, including Chief Judge Gerard Rogers, as well as U.S. Magistrate Judge Susan Hightower.  Registration is free but limited and closes at 10am on Wednesday, June 17, 2020.  Register early here.  A link to the WebEx will be sent to your email as registered. Contact Marylauren Ilagan at marylauren.ilagan@mkcorp.com with any questions. 

 

June 19th at 12pm CT

Professional Responsibility and Practice Before the USPTO

CLE: 1.0 hours of Ethics credit

In this program, attendees will learn about patent practitioners’ professional responsibilities and ethics. USPTO Deputy General Counsel and Director of the Office of Enrollment and Discipline Will Covey will lead a discussion covering regulations that govern patent practitioners and selected scenarios from court cases and disciplinary proceedings. While virtual, the program will allow for attendee interaction and questions.  To register, please visit the following link.

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Tuesday, June 23, 2020 (Noon) 12:00-1:00 PM

“To Delete or Not to Delete?  Minimizing the landmines of

employees who bring trade secrets with them.”

This presentation will address the issues that can arise using a hypothetical employee/employer situation, including how issues arise with a new employee, whether there is a way to stay ahead of the question of “to delete or not to delete,” where the question can lead, and whether there are guideposts to be followed when each situation is so fact-dependent.  Speakers: Phil Petti, Chief IP Counsel, USG Corporation; Thomas A. James, Fitch, Even, Tabin & Flannery.

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Thursday, July 23, 2020: 2:00-3:00PM

“Topic: AI, IoT, 3D Printing, Patents, and Ethics”

Speaker: David Hricik, Professor of Law Mercer University

This presentation will address ethical and patent law related issues arising from Artificial Intelligence (AI), Internet of Things (IoT), 3D Printing technologies.  Professor David Hrick is always entertaining and insightful.  Reminder, we are starting the CLE at 2pm, a little later than our normal starting time.

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Thursday, August 27, 2020: 2:00-3:00PM

“Knock It Off! The Basics Of Anti-Counterfeiting Rights and Remedies”

Speakers: Matt Acosta, Platt Cheema Richmond PLLC,

James Bikoff, Smith Gambrell & Russell LLP, and

Group Director Steven Berk, United States Patent & Trademark Office

This presentation will offer a foundational explanation of civil legal principles surrounding the fight against counterfeit goods.  The speakers will provide statistics describing the magnitude of the global rise in counterfeiting, will discuss necessary steps for rights-holders to protecting their intellectual property from counterfeiters, and available remedies under the Lanham Act, among others.  The program will also include a special presentation by a representative of the United States Patent and Trademark Office describing its recently initiated “Go For Real Campaign,” which provides youth education about counterfeit goods and their negative impact on health, safety and the economy.  Reminder, we are starting the CLE at 2pm, a little later than our normal noon start time.

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Thursday, September 24, 2020: 12:00-1:00PM

“IP at the Supreme Court: 2020”

Speakers: Professor Glynn Lunney

Texas A&M University’s School of Law

This presentation will offer a review of the Supreme Court’s Intellectual Property decisions for 2020.  With respect to intellectual property, 2020 has been a mixed bag at the Supreme Court.  Of the five Court decisions so far in 2020, intellectual property owners have won two and lost three, with the Google v. Oracle decision still to come.  Beyond the win-loss ratio, we have seen the rise of Justice Gorsuch’s literal approach to statutory construction and continued deference to the administrative IPR process on patent validity.  Rather than focus on the core of intellectual property, the Court’s decisions continue to tinker at the margins.  This presentation will examine the five Supreme Court decisions of 2020, explore what they mean for the future of intellectual property, and predicts how the Court will rule in Google v. Oracle.

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Thursday, October 22, 2020: 12:00-1:00PM

“Practical Tips to Advance Patent Prosecution Before The USPTO”

Speaker: Sushil Iyer, Fish and Richardson PC

This presentation will review the patent application and patent examination process before the US Patent and Trademark Office.  The speaker will discuss practical approaches that a patent practitioner can adopt to maximize the likelihood of a successful patent prosecution outcome, as well as for advancing patent prosecution to a decision point defined by the client.

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Thursday, November 5, 2020: 5:00-6:00PM

“Trademark Fights Over Alcoholic Beverages”

Speaker: Justin Cohen Thompson Knight

James Gourley, Carstens & Cahoon LLP

There have been several interesting recent trademark cases in the alcoholic beverage industry. 

• Are the terms “butter” and “jam” too descriptive to merit trademark protection as applied to chardonnay and cabernet sauvignon wine?

• Can hard seltzer products obtain trademark protections for marks that riff on the fizzy nature of the drink?

These and other alcoholic beverage trademark cases will be discussed briefly in a general session, followed by smaller moderated breakout room discussions about the issues in the cases.  Attendees may, if they can do so safely, accompany their participation with an alcoholic beverage of choice.  We would like to request folks RSVP so we can manage breakout rooms.   Please also RSVP to Justin Cohen at Justin.Cohen@tklaw.com.

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Friday, November 13, 2020: 12:00-1:00PM

“Conducting Jury Trials in COVID-19 Era”

Speakers: Chief Judge Barbara Lynn, Northern District of Texas

Chief Judge Rodney Gilstrap, Eastern District of Texas

Moderator: Matt Acosta, Platt Cheema Richmond PLLC

Chief Judge Rodney Gilstrap of the Eastern District of Texas and Chief Judge Barbara M. G. Lynn of the Northern District of Texas have both administered and conducted live jury trials during the Covid-19 pandemic.  During this presentation, they will explain the reasoning behind their decisions to conduct in-person trials, the unique challenges that they faced in preparing for, administering and conducting those trials, how these challenges were overcome, and the reception by all of those involved.  The IP Section wishes to express its gratitude to the Judges, their staff and coordinators, Matt Acosta and Elizabeth Evert for all their efforts in supporting this CLE event. 

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