The Section of Intellectual Property Law is pleased to announce the activities being planned to take place in conjunction with the ABA Annual Meeting in Denver, Colorado. The Annual Meeting brings the entire ABA together and we are very excited to be a part of it. The IPL Section’s activities will take place August 2-4, 2023.
LOCATION
The United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) has graciously granted permission for us to utilize space at their Rocky Mountain Regional facility, located at 1961 Stout Street. We will conduct all of our meetings and programs at the USPTO Office. This is a unique opportunity to meet at the facility and we plan to take full advantage by welcoming as many USPTO practitioners to join us as possible.
As we will meet at the USPTO Office, we have not designated an “official” headquarters hotel.The ABA has negotiated rates at five Denver properties all of which are in reasonably close proximity to the USPTO. A number of Section leaders plan to stay at the Hyatt Regency Denver at Colorado Convention Center and we invite you to book accommodation there as well. Information on all available properties may be found here. One must complete the Annual Meeting registration process in order to reserve a hotel room from the ABA’s block.
PROGRAMS
Starting at 2:30 p.m. MT on Wednesday, August 2, the Rocky Mountain Regional USPTO Office will host an Intellectual Property (IP) Patch Program in collaboration with the Girl Scouts of Colorado, ChIPS, and a variety of local science and technology companies. Junior Girl Scouts will interact with IP professionals, scientists, and volunteers interested in advancing science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) among these young people. Girl Scouts will earn their IP Girl Scout Patch through the event designed to increase awareness of and interest in the creation and protection of intellectual property (IP) across disciplines and particularly as it relates to the STEM fields through a supporting curriculum and interactive structured activities for the girls and volunteers. Information regarding the IP Patch may be found at: USPTO Kids. The event will also feature a technology fair which will provide hands-on access and exposure to Denver’s robust science and technology community. Those attending the Section’s programming are invited and strongly encouraged to attend this special event.
The Section will offer three CLE sessions on Thursday, August 3:
9:00 AM – 10:30 AM
Patent Division Patent Trial and Appeal Board Program A review of current PTAB initiatives will be presented.
This program will feature a review of recent PTAB initiatives including the Office’s Advanced Notice of Proposed Rulemaking, and the Office’s Request for Comments on motions to amend in IPR and PGR proceedings. This will be followed by a discussion of options to obtain review of Board decisions, including a new review procedure. The session will conclude with and interactive panel providing insight into best practices before the Board.
Moderators:
Jonathan Bowser, Haynes Boone
Sharon Israel, Shook, Hardy & Bacon
Speakers:
Scott Boalick, Chief Judge, Patent Trial and Appeal Board
Patrick Boucher, Administrative Patent Judge, Patent Trial & Appeal Board
Russell Cass. Administrative Patent Judge, Patent Trial & Appeal Board
Kalyan Deshpande, Acting Deputy Chief Judge, Patent Trial and Appeal Board
Kristina Kalan, Administrative Patent Judge, Patent Trial & Appeal Board
Scott Moore, Acting Vice Chief Judge, Patent Trial and Appeal Board
11:00 AM – 12:30 PM
Trademark and Copyright Division Joint Warhol and VIP Products: Redefining the Boundaries of Fair Use and Parody in Copyright and Trademark Law
This term the Supreme Court’s decisions in Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts, Inc. v. Goldsmith and Jack Daniel’s Properties, Inc. v. VIP Products LLC address fair use and parody in the context of copyright and trademark law, respectively. Both cases interrogate the interplay between First Amendment protection for speech and intellectual property protection for copyright and brand owners. This panel will address the practical implications of both decisions, with an emphasis on how they may affect practitioners and businesses.
Speakers:
Claudia Ray, Kirkland & Ellis LLP
Scott Martin, EVP Deputy General Counsel, Paramount Pictures
Evan Rothstein, Arnold & Porter
2:00 PM – 3:30 PM
AI & IP: IP Protection for AI-Generated Works, How AI Can Facilitate IP Protection, and Regulation of AI Use Law
As the capabilities of AI expand, so, too, does its use by businesses and artists. Speakers will discuss their uses of AI, available IP protections for resulting works generated with the use of AI, and how AI may be used to facilitate IP protection. Speakers will also discuss current and proposed AI regulations and policy
Speaker:
Joseph Gratz, Morrison Foerster
Heather Cooper, AI Creator and Blogger
A full list of events planned by all entities for the Annual Meeting may be accessed here.
LEADERSHIP ACTIVITIES
The following groups will meet in-person at the meeting on Thursday, August 3 from 3:00 – 5:00 p.m.:
- Patents Division
- Trademarks and Unfair Competition Division
- Professional Issues Division.
Division chairs will circulate meeting information.
The IPL Section Council will meet in executive session from 12:00 – 1:00 p.m. on Friday, August 4 and the full Council Meeting will follow from 1:15 – 3:15 p.m. The Section Business Meeting and Election will be held from 3:30 – 4:00 p.m. on Friday.
NETWORKING
The dine-arounds offered during our Annual Section Meeting (IPLSpring) in April were a huge success, and we will be offering the opportunity to sign up for similar informal dinners for those arriving on Wednesday, August 2. Meeting registrants will be sent sign-up information during the week of July 24.
REGISTRATION
Registration for the ABA Annual Meeting is required for program admittance. The Section will not assess an additional charge to attend our sessions, however official registration for the ABA Annual Meeting is required to obtain continuing legal education credit, to reserve a hotel room within our block, and to purchase tickets to our leadership dinner. The various registration tiers are outlined here. Any level of registration will permit attendance at our sessions and allow for ticket purchases.
Access the registration page here.
Additional information on the meeting will be forwarded in the coming weeks. Please do not hesitate to contact me if you have any questions in the meantime.
We look forward to seeing you in Denver!