Patent Nation: In the Wake of KSR: Sea Change or Wait-and-See?

When it comes to the real impact of the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision in KSR v. Teleflex, the jury is still out. Some say it will lead to a fundamental change in how patents are obtained and litigated, while others say not much will really change. This disagreement requires a thoughtful discussion of how companies will need to adapt to protect their current intellectual property portfolios and to adjust their strategies moving forward.

In the second installment of Foley’s Patent Nation Web Conference Series, we considered:

• What impact will the Court’s decision have on inventors, businesses, and innovators in the United States?


• Will it now be harder for start-up companies and inventors to obtain venture capital funding?


• What are the financial implications?


• Will the decision help established companies avoid competition?


• Will KSR affect the rate of innovation? If so, will it increase or decrease?


• How are the courts reacting to the new standard established by KSR?


• What will be the effect of KSR on the United States Patent and Trademark Office’s workload and turnaround time?

Speakers:

• Thomas Elkind, Partner, Intellectual Property Litigation Practice, Foley


• Robert Glance, Associate General Counsel, Fannie Mae


• Roger Kitterman, Associate Director, Center for Innovative Ventures, Partners HealthCare


• Curtis Rose, Assistant General Counsel, Hewlett-Packard Company

Additional Program in this Web Conference Series include:

• Tuesday, May 15, 2007
  Patent Nation: Real or Hype? Business and Litigation Impact of Patent Reform


• Wednesday, September 12, 2007
  Patent Nation: Jon W. Dudas on the New USPTO Claims & Continuations Rules