Foley Partner Sharon Barner was quoted in an article that appeared in FoxBusiness on August 9, 2011 titled “What Patent Reform Could Mean for Inventors and Small Business.” Barner discusses how the patent application process will change under The America Invents Act, as well as what inventors and small businesses can expect with the forthcoming reforms. She states that the first-to-file system introduced by the bill will mean a change in priority for all inventors, noting that it will take some adjustment for inventors to know that they will have to file first to obtain a patent. Barner adds that fee diversions stipulated in the reforms are aimed at making the patent process more efficient by putting a greater focus on timeliness and quality control.