Imagine That IP Law Blog

The United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO), led by Director John A. Squires, has issued a notice of proposed rulemaking to revise the rules governing inter partes review (IPR) before the Patent Trial and Appeal Board (PTAB). The proposed amendment would expand 37 C.F.R. § 42.108 by adding new subsections (d) through (g) to clarify when the Office may decline to institute an IPR, even when a petition otherwise meets statutory thresholds.

The proposed changes would narrow those IPR proceedings that are instituted. The Director aims to prevent IPRs from duplicating ... Read More ›

As always, the intellectual property (IP) landscape is changing and IP strategy is evolving with it.

For years, patents were often considered the primary tool for protecting a company’s innovations. Patents offer relatively straightforward legal rights, with a defined path to enforceability and corresponding deterrent value. On the non-legal side, they also provide significant business advantages.

From a purely business perspective, patents offer significant practical benefits. They offer a clear legal path to acquisition enforceability with corresponding deterrent ... Read More ›