Patently-O Bits & Bytes by Lawrence Higgins

Pro Bono Patents!

  • Members of the Twin Cities legal community are launching a pilot program to provide pro bono legal services to low-income, independent inventors. One of the programs goals is to put a dent in the USPTO’s backlog of patent applications, by increasing the efficiency of the applications submitted by independent inventors. This Pro Bono program is encouraged by the USPTO and the program’s success may help spark innovation across the nation. [Link]

Should Disney be allowed to trademark "SEAL TEAM 6"?

  • The Navy is challenging Disney’s attempt to trademark the name of the elite squad that took out Bin Laden. On May 3rd Disney filed the mark "SEAL TEAM 6" for various goods and services. [Link] [Link] [Link] However, it looks like the Navy did not like Disney trying to profit off of their work, so the Navy filed for the mark "SEAL TEAM" on May 13th. [Link] It looks like the Navy is trying to create a likelihood of confusion with the mark "SEAL TEAM", so that the USPTO will not issue the mark to Disney under 15 USC 1052(d). [Link]

Groklaw new editor will be Mark Webbink

  • Pamela Jones (PJ) the editor of Groklaw announced in early April that she was not going to write any more articles for Groklaw. However, PJ was bombarded with messages asking to keep the website going, so she asked Mark Webbink to become the new editor. Mark Webbink accepted the proposal and is officially the new writer of Groklaw. Mark is a visiting professor at New York Law School where he runs the Center for Patent Innovations, oversees the Peer To Patent project, and is a senior lecturing fellow at Duke University School of Law where he teaches intellectual property courses. [Link]

Inventor of the Year Award

  • IPO Education Foundation is seeking nominations for its 38th National Inventor of the Year Award. The award presents an opportunity for nominators to obtain major recognition for a deserving employee, client, or colleague as one of America's most outstanding inventors. Nominators could get recognition for themselves and their firm. The deadline for nominations is June 1. [Link]

Patent Jobs:

  • O’Shea Getz is seeking a patent attorney with at least 4 years of experience to work in their Springfield, MA office. [Link]
  • Klarquist Sparkman is looking for an IP litigation associate with 1-2 years of experience to work in their Portland office. [Link]
  • Laird Technologies is searching for an IP manager with 3 years of patent prosecution experience to work at their Chesterfield, MO location. [Link]
  • Ballard Spahr is seeking an IP litigation associate with 3-5 years of experience to work in their Philadelphia office. [Link]

Upcoming Events:

  • The Berkeley Center for Law & Technology (BCLT) and the USPTO are co-hosting a conference on the interface between the PTO and the District Courts on June 7th in Berkeley, California. The keynote address will be delivered by Teresa Stanek Rae. Guest speakers include Robert Bahr, Elaine Gin, and Stuart Graham. [Link]
  • AIPLA’s Chemical Patent Practice Road Show: Prosecution and Litigation Strategies will be held in Chicago on June 23rd. This seminar will cover advanced issues relating to chemical patent prosecution and litigation. Guest Speakers include Sharon Barner, Bradley Crawford (from MBHB), Whitney Remily, Michael Tierney, and Alexander Wilson. [Link]
  • The National Association of Patent Practitioners (NAPP) will hold their 2011 Annual Meeting and Nuts & Bolts Short Course at the Venetian Palazzo Hotel in Las Vegas, Nevada on July 16-19, 2011. [Link]

Contact Lawrence.Higgins@patentlyo.com with leads for future Bits and Bytes.