2011

Patent Attorney – Law Firm – Tysons Corner, Va.

November 17, 2011- US - MidAtlantic and South, Emp - Law Firm, Tech - Biotech, Tech - Chemical / Pharma, Tech - Electrical, Tech - Mechanical, Work - Patent Prosecution

O’Brien Jones, PLLC is looking to hire full-time patent attorneys and patent agents in Tysons Corner, Virginia with 2-5 years of significant experience drafting and prosecuting patent applications. Ideal candidates will also have client counseling experience with opinion drafting and other related patent practice experience. Qualified candidates will have technical backgrounds in one or more of the following: biomedical engineering, chemistry, electrical engineering, mechanical engineering and software.

Patent Litigation Associate – Law Firm – Dallas, Texas

November 16, 2011- US - Midwest, - US - Southwest, Emp - Law Firm, Tech - Electrical, Tech - Mechanical, Work - Licensing / Other Corporate, Work - Patent Litigation

Buether Joe & Carpenter, LLC is seeking one or more associate attorneys having substantial experience with patent infringement litigation. Qualified candidates must be current members of the Texas bar.

IP Associate – Law Firm – Cincinnati, Ohio

November 15, 2011- US - Midwest, Emp - Law Firm, Tech - Any / Other, Tech - Chemical / Pharma, Tech - Electrical, Tech - Mechanical, Work - Patent Prosecution

The Cincinnati office of Baker & Hostetler LLP seeks a patent attorney with 5 to 8 years law-firm experience in patent prosecution, portfolio management, licensing and opinion work. Require technical background in mechanical, electrical, computer, chemical or materials. Superior academics and solid prior law firm experience required. Salary commensurate with experience.

Mid-Level Patent Associate – Law Firm – Alexandria, Va.

November 11, 2011- US - MidAtlantic and South, Emp - Law Firm, Tech - Electrical, Tech - Mechanical, Work - Patent Litigation, Work - Patent Prosecution

Oblon Spivak is home to the leading post grant patent practice group in the country. The firm is currently seeking experienced associates to join its rapidly expanding post grant practice.

Patent Attorney – Law Firm – Location Negotiable

November 10, 2011- US - Midwest, - US - Northeast, - US - Northwest, - US - Southwest, - US - West, Emp - Law Firm, Tech - Electrical, Work - Patent Agent, Work - Patent Litigation, Work - Patent Prosecution

IP Counsel – Small Corporation – Las Vegas, N.V.

November 9, 2011- US - Southwest, - US - West, Emp - Corporate (in-house), Tech - Any / Other, Work - Licensing / Other Corporate

Shuffle Master, Inc., a gaming supply company specializing in popular cutting-edge gaming entertainment, is seeking an Intellectual Property Counsel to join our team. We are a dynamic, growing organization with a substantial Intellectual Property portfolio. This position located in Las Vegas and relocation assistance is possible.

Wonder what you will be doing?
• Prepare invention disclosures.
• Evaluate invention disclosures.
• Perform opinion work related to novelty, patent clearance studies and infringement to include the preparation and prosecution of patent applications.
• Coordinate international patent clearance study work.

What do we need you to bring to the table?
• Minimum of five years of IP experience.
• Must be comfortable with all of the following patent subject matter and significant experience with at least two:
-Process
-Mechanical
-Software
-Light Electrical Systems
• Must be comfortable with frequent interaction with technical teams, business people and senior management.
• Law degree from an ABA approved law school required, undergraduate degree in Engineering preferred.
• Prefer career start in law firm, with long-term experience in at least one firm or company.
• Must be conversant with U.S.P.T.O. procedures. Prefer experience in managing International patent portfolio and drafting substantive instructions to foreign associates.
• Team management experience a plus.

What will we bring to the table?
• Very competitive benefits package.
• Fast-paced, progressive work environment.
• Opportunities to impact company strategies and goals.
• Personal development plans to help ensure your success.

References, transcripts and writing samples should be available upon our request. Benefits at Shuffle Master, Inc. include a group health, dental and vision plan, long term disability and life insurance, paid vacations and paid holidays.

Contact:
So, what are you waiting for? Apply today!

Shuffle Master, Inc.
1106 Palms Airport Drive
Las Vegas, NV 89119
jchan@shufflemaster.com

Shuffle Master, Inc. is an equal opportunity employer. Principals only please. Temporary or permanent placement recruiters, please don't contact this job poster. Please do not contact job poster about other services, products or commercial interests.

Additional Info:
Employer Type: Small Corporation
Job Location: Las Vegas, Nevada

It is our mission to make gaming more fun for players and more profitable for operators - through product innovation, superior quality and exceptional service.

We Value People
All our "customers" matter including employees, shareholders, operators, partners and vendors.

We Value Principles
We are governed by integrity and seek success through ethical decision-making.

We Value Performance
We relentlessly pursue success and strive for perfect execution.

We Value Progress
We innovate, challenge the status quo and achieve our goals.

We Value Play
We work hard and play hard. Laughter is encouraged and a good attitude is mandatory.

Patent Assistants – Sandia National Laboratories – Albuquerque, N.M. (Updated)

November 3, 2011- US - Southwest, Emp - Government, Tech - Any / Other, Work - Licensing / Other Corporate

Sandia National Laboratories is one of the country's largest research and engineering laboratories in the nation, employing over 8,000 people at major facilities in Albuquerque, New Mexico and Livermore, California. We make enduring contributions to secure our society against high consequence terrorist threats and national incidents through effective use of science, technology, and systems solutions. Please visit our website at www.sandia.gov. We are searching for Patent Assistants for the Legal Technology Transfer Center for the Albuquerque facility. The salary is commensurate. A benefit package is available. Must be able to obtain and maintain a DOE Security Clearance.

Review and act upon materials received from USPTO, preparing draft materials responsive to USPTO for attorney review and/or completion, maintaining attorney dockets, maintaining patent database (database entry, errors checks), and maintaining hardcopy files. Will act as primary support for one or more attorneys, including preparing materials for attorneys signature (missing parts, certificates of correction, engagement letters, etc.), calculating filing fees, conducting database searches for attorneys (reference prior art, private PAIR, etc.), filing materials in USPTO in accordance with federal rules, maintaining USPTO deposit account, and coordinate payment of patent maintenance fees.

Experience working with and understanding of the rules and regulations set forth by the United States Patent & Trademark Office, (USPTO); working in a patent prosecution environment within a law firm or in-house are required. Outstanding verbal and written communication skills, strong organizational skills, and a demonstrated ability to deal effectively with people at all levels of the organization, both internal and external to Sandia; self-motivated, work well under pressure and be able to prioritize work assignments with little supervision; proficient with Microsoft applications (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook); ability to maintain a professional demeanor in a fast-paced, demanding environment; ability to exercise great prudence in the protection of confidential and sensitive information; and adept at meeting frequent deadlines with constant interruptions while maintaining a high level of accuracy and attention to detail are all required.

Paralegal degree and experience with IP Management software (i.e. Thompson Rueters IP Manager or CPA Global Memotech or IPFoundation software suites) are desirables.

Contact:
Please apply online at http://www.sandia.gov/careers/search-openings.html, click Search for Openings, and reference Job ID Number: 639394.

U.S. Citizenship Normally Required. Equal Opportunity Employer. M/F/D/V.

Additional Info:
Employer Type: Government
Job Location: Albuquerque, New Mexico

Patent Agent – Law Firm – Chicago, Ill.

November 3, 2011- US - Midwest, Emp - Law Firm, Tech - Electrical, Work - Patent Agent, Work - Patent Prosecution

Contract Patent Attorney/Agent – Law Firm – Bay Area, Calif.

November 3, 2011- US - Silicon Valley & SF, - US - West, Emp - Law Firm, Tech - Biotech, Work - Licensing / Other Corporate, Work - Patent Prosecution

The Storella Law Group is seeking contract patent attorney or patent agent with excellent skills and expertise in biotechnology to do patent prosecution and IP diligence for private practice and with start-up and growing biotechnology companies. Bay Area preferred but will consider virtual relationship. Flexible compensation arrangements.

IP Associate – Law Firm – Indianapolis, Ind.

November 3, 2011- US - Midwest, Emp - Law Firm, Tech - Any / Other, Work - Patent Prosecution

Commissioner Stoll to Leave the USPTO

November 2, 2011USPTO News

USPTO has announced that Patent Commissioner Robert (Bob) Stoll is stepping down from his post after 29 years at the Patent Office where he served as a patent examiner, supervisory patent examiner (SPE), executive assistant to USPTO Director Bruce Lehman, director of the USPTO Office of Enforcement, Dean of Training and Education, and finally Commissioner for Patents since 2009. Stoll is expected to move to a private sector job after he steps down at the end of the calendar year.

Patent Portfolio Manager – Large Corporation – Cupertino, Calif.

October 25, 2011- US - Silicon Valley & SF, - US - West, Emp - Corporate (in-house), Tech - Electrical, Tech - Mechanical, Work - Licensing / Other Corporate

Patent Associate – Law Firm – St. Louis, Mo.

October 19, 2011- US - Midwest, Emp - Law Firm, Tech - Any / Other, Tech - Biotech, Tech - Chemical / Pharma, Work - Patent Prosecution

The St. Louis office of Global Patent Group, LLC is in search of a patent agent or attorney with a background in the field of Plant Biology.

Guest Posts: Preparing for Mayo v. Prometheus Labs

October 19, 2011Supreme Court

By Professor John Golden, Professor in Law, The University of Texas at Austin

Mayo Collaborative Services v. Prometheus Laboratories, Inc., No. 10-1150 (S. Ct.)

Scheduled for oral argument on Wednesday, December 7, 2011

In Mayo Collaborative Services v. Prometheus Laboratories, Inc., the U.S. Supreme Court looks to address questions of whether and when certain types of medical methods are patentable subject matter. Prometheus specifically involves methods for optimizing patient treatment in which the level of a drug metabolite is measured and a measured level above or below a recited amount "indicates a need" to decrease or increase dosage levels. In 2005, the Court granted certiorari on related issues in Laboratory Corp. of America v. Metabolite Laboratories, Inc., but the Court later dismissed LabCorp as improvidently granted. In 2010, the Court reaffirmed the existence of meaningful limitations on patentable subject matter in Bilski v. Kappos, but the Court but did little to clarify the scope of those limitations.

Will Prometheus bring light where Bilski failed? Arguments to the Court invite it to further clarify the status of the machine-or-transformation test for process claims. Bilski indicated that this test is relevant but not necessarily decisive, and the Federal Circuit relied heavily on the test in upholding the subject-matter eligibility of Prometheus's claims. In the circuit's view, "asserted claims are in effect claims to methods of treatment, which are always transformative when one of a defined group of drugs is administered to the body to ameliorate the effects of an undesired condition." Likewise, a metabolite-level measurement step was found to "necessarily involv[e] a transformation." Although Prometheus's claims include "mental steps," the circuit emphasized that the inclusion of such steps "does not, by itself, negate the transformative nature of prior steps."

Prior posts provide additional background on the Prometheus case. The first wave of merits briefs have been filed. These include the opening brief for the petitioners, briefs in support of the petitioners, and briefs in support of neither party. The respondent-patentee's brief as well as supporting amicus briefs will be due in the upcoming weeks.

BRIEF FOR PETITIONERS (Stephen Shapiro, Mayer Brown): Prometheus's patent claims violate Supreme Court precedent forbidding claims that "preemp[t] all practical use of an abstract idea, natural phenomenon, or mathematical formula." Prometheus's claims "recite a natural phenomenon—the biological correlation between metabolite levels and health—without describing what is to be done with that phenomenon beyond considering whether a dosage adjustment may be necessary." The claims' drug-administration and metabolite-measurement steps are merely "'token' and 'conventional' data-gathering steps" that cannot establish subject-matter eligibility. Patent protection is unnecessary to promote the development of diagnostic methods like those claimed and will in fact interfere with both their development and actual medical practice.

AMICUS BRIEFS SUPPORTING PETITIONERS

AARP & PUBLIC PATENT FOUNDATION (Daniel Ravicher, Public Patent & Cardozo School of Law): "Allowing patents on pure medical correlations … threatens doctors with claims of patent infringement" and "burdens the public with excessive health care costs, and dulls incentives for real innovation." "The Federal Circuit has latched on to trivial steps beyond mental processes, such as the 'administering' step in this case, to uphold patents that effectively preempt all uses of laws of nature." Prometheus's recitation of an "administering" step stands "in stark contrast to most pharmaceutical patents that require a 'therapeutically effective amount' of a drug be administered."

ACLU (Sandra Park, ACLU): In assessing subject matter eligibility, the Supreme Court "has focused on the essence of the claim," using a "pragmatic approach [that] allows the Court to see through clever drafting." Prometheus's insertion of drug-administration and/or measurement steps into a claim "does not alter the fact that the essence of the claim is the correlation between thiopurine drugs and metabolite levels in the blood." Further, the First Amendment bars Prometheus's claims. "What Prometheus seeks to monopolize … is the right to think about the correlation between thiopurine drugs and metabolite levels, and the therapeutic consequences of that correlation."

AMERICAN COLLEGE OF MEDICAL GENETICS ET AL. (Katherine Strandburg, NYU School of Law): The patents at issue "grant exclusive rights over the mere observation of natural, statistical correlations." They "convert routine, sound medical practice into prohibited infringement" and generate burdens and conflicts for patient care and follow-on innovation. "The machine or transformation test is inapposite … to determining whether a claim preempts a natural phenomenon." It can be too trivially satisfied without shedding sufficient light on whether claims "reflect inventive activity" or "improperly preempt downstream uses of the phenomenon."

ARUP & LABCORP (Kathleen Sullivan, Quinn Emanuel): "The patents assert exclusive rights over the process of administering a drug and observing the results…. This not only blocks the mental work of doctors advising patients, but also impedes the progress of research by seeking to own a basic law of nature concerning the human body's reaction to drugs." "Patents on measurements of nature" raise constitutional concerns by removing factual information from the public domain, thereby conflicting with patents' constitutional purpose to "promote the Progress of Science and useful Arts" and threatening to chill "scientific and commercial publication."

CATO INSTITUTE ET AL. (Ilya Shapiro, Cato Institute): This case provides the Supreme Court with an opportunity to strike a blow against the "thousands of abstract process patents which have been improvidently granted since the 1990s" and that are already adversely affecting software and financial innovation. Historically, patentable "processes" "aimed to produce an effect on matter, and these patents do not." The "indicat[ing] a need" clauses in Prometheus's claims do not even form part of a process because they do "not describe an action." Patent claims such as these, "whose final step is mental," impermissibly tread on the public domain and "freedom of thought."

NINE LAW PROFESSORS (Joshua Sarnoff, DePaul College of Law): The Supreme Court "should expressly recognize" that the Constitution requires that "laws of nature, physical phenomena, and abstract ideas" be treated as prior art for purposes of determining patentability. "Allowing patents for uncreative applications would effectively provide exclusive rights in and impermissibly reward the ineligible discovery itself." Barring claims like Prometheus's under section 101, as opposed to relying on patentability requirements such as novelty and nonobviousness, promotes "efficient gate-keeping" and "sends important signals."

VERIZON & HP (Michael Kellogg, Kellogg Huber): "It is longstanding law that a claim is non-patentable if it recites a prior art process and adds only the mental recognition of a newly discovered property of that process." See Gen. Elec. Co. v. Jewel Incandescent Lamp Co., 326 U.S. 242 (1945). "This principle is soundly based on Section 101's limitation to processes and products that are not only 'useful' but 'new.'" "[A]dding to the old process in Prometheus's patent claims nothing more than a mental step of recognizing the possible health (toxicity or efficacy) significance of the result of the process does not define a 'new and useful process.'"

AMICUS BRIEFS SUPPORTING NEITHER PARTY

UNITED STATES (Solicitor General Donald Verrilli, Jr.): The claimed methods recite "patent-eligible subject matter," and petitioners' objections to patentability are properly understood as challenges to the claimed methods' novelty and nonobviousness. By analogy with "patent law's 'printed matter' doctrine," the claims should ultimately be found invalid because, as construed by the district court, they "merely … appen[d] a purely mental step or inference to a process that is otherwise known in (or obvious in light of) the prior art." But the Supreme Court should affirm the Federal Circuit's holding on subject matter eligibility.

AIPPI (Peter Schechter, Edwards Wildman): AIPPI "encourages all member countries to allow medical personnel the freedom to provide medical treatment of patients without the authorization of any patentee." Unlike the U.S. and Australia, most countries "exclud[e] methods of medical treatment of patients from patent eligibility." When the medical-practitioner exemption of 35 U.S.C. § 287(c)(1) applies, "the courts lack subject matter jurisdiction." The exemption applies to the defendants, who "are plainly 'related health care entities.'" Thus, "the case should be dismissed for lack of federal subject matter jurisdiction."

MICROSOFT (Matthew McGill, Gibson Dunn): Subject-matter eligibility tests should not involve "pars[ing] the claimed invention into the 'underlying invention' and those aspects that are 'conventional' or 'obvious' or insignificant 'extra- or post-solution activity.'" Such parsing lacks any guiding principle that can make its application predictable. Petitioners seek an improperly "expansive application of the mental steps doctrine." "[I]f every step of a process claim can be performed in the human mind, that process is unpatentable." But the Federal Circuit has improperly "extended th[is] principle to apply to machines or manufactures that replicate mental steps."

NYIPLA (Ronald Daignault, Robins Kaplan): Innovation's "bewildering pace" argues against "rigid categorization of patent-eligible subject matter." "[T]here is no basis for excluding processes directed to analyzing the chemicals in a patient's body from patent eligibility." When satisfied, the machine-or-transformation test should decisively establish eligibility. But failure of the test should not necessarily establish ineligibility. Preemption analysis "must incorporate a critical assessment of whether the claim at issue actually claims a fundamental principle as a fundamental principle in contrast to an application of that principle."

ROCHE & ABBOTT (Seth Waxman, WilmerHale): Patents are crucial for innovation in personalized medicine and more particularly for the continued development diagnostic tests that can enable such medicine's practice. Arguments "that patents on diagnostic tests stifle innovation and basic scientific research" are "largely based on speculation, rather than sound evidence." Generally speaking, "market-driven business practices and self-enforcing market norms correct for any perceived limitations on the accessibility of patented diagnostic technologies." Congress should be trusted to provide appropriate patent-law exemptions for medical practice and research.

Jr. Associate – Law Firm – Chicago, Ill. (Updated)

October 17, 2011- US - Midwest, Emp - Law Firm, Tech - Electrical, Tech - Mechanical, Work - Patent Prosecution

Chicago intellectual property law firm McDonnell Boehnen Hulbert & Berghoff LLP two junior associates to work in the Firm's electrical arts group. The ideal candidate will have 2 - 3 years experience preparing and prosecuting U.S. patent applications. Firm also seeks a 3L (2012 graduate) for the electrical arts group. Candidates should be registered to practice with the USPTO and hold a B.S. or M.S. in electrical engineering, computer engineering, or computer science.

Patently-O Bits & Bytes by Lawrence Higgins

October 15, 2011USPTO News

Where Will the Patent Satellite Offices Open!

There currently is a lot of lobbying going on by politicians to bring the USPTO to their state. Lawmakers from Silicon Valley, Colorado and Texas are trying to win one of the two satellite offices, since Detroit already is entitled to an office under Leahy-Smith. Colorado Sens. Michael Bennet and Mark Udall, sent a letter to David Kappos trying to sell him on the Rocky Mountain State. Also California lawmakers Anna Eshoo and nine other from sent a letter to Obama making their pitch for Silicon Valley. [Link]

Beacon Navigation Files Suit Against Car Makers

On October 11^th Beacon Navigation filed patent infringement suits against all the big name automobile manufactures. Beacon claims that automobile manufactures infringed either all or some of their patents including 5,819,201, 6,163,269, & 5,878,368. Beacon claims that because the GPS navigation systems in their products are specially adapted for an infringing use of each patent, and embody a material part of the inventions claimed in each patent. As noted by PriorSmart, Beacon is the first plaintiff to file a high volume of individual cases since the new joinder restrictions were enacted. [Complaint]

Mark T. Banner Scholarship

The Richard Linn American Inn of Court is proud to offer the Mark T. Banner Scholarship for law students. This scholarship is part of The Richard Linn American Inn of Court's commitment to fostering the development of intellectual property lawyers of high ethics, civility and professionalism, and especially those from diverse backgrounds. [Link]

Patent Jobs:

Harman International is seeking a patent attorney with at least 8 years of experience. [Link]
Klarquist Sparkman is searching for lateral patent associates or patent agents with at least 1-4 years of experience. [Link]
Klarquist Sparkman is searching for a patent attorney or patent agent with 3+ years of experience. [Link]
Lee & Hayes is looking for patent attorneys with at least 3 years of experience. [Link]
Withrow & Terranova is seeking patent attorneys or patent agents with at least one year of experience. [Link]
Trading Technologies is searching for a patent agent with 3-5 years of experience. [Link]
Trading Technologies is seeking a patent attorney with 3-5 years of experience. [Link]
Volpe and Koenig is looking for a Japanese patent paralegal with prior experience as a patent paralegal. [Link]

Upcoming Events:

The 2011 AIPLA Annual Meeting will be held October 20-22, in Washington, DC. The Annual Meeting will bring nearly 2,000 IP professionals together to meet, share, and connect with one another and provide insight into some of the most pressing issues facing our profession today! Over 100 IP Professionals, from corporations, law firms, universities, the courts, federal agencies, with expertise both domestically and internationally will be presenting on a varied landscape of IP issues. [Link]
American Conference Institute will be holding a FDA Boot Camp Device Edition conference on October 25^th-October 26^th in Chicago. (Patently-O readers can register with code PO 200 for a discount) [Link]
Licensing Executives Society (LES) will be holding their annual meeting on October 16-19 at the Manchester Grand Hyatt in San Diego. Guest speakers include, Martha Ries, VP of IP Management, The Boeing Company and Barbara Dalton VP, Venture Capital, Pfizer. [Link]
The University of Texas at Austin will hold its 16^th Annual Advanced Patent Law Institute on October 27-28. The program will cover: recent developments in claims construction and claims drafting, cost savings in litigation, inequitable conduct after Therasense, and many other topics. [Link]
IPMI is holding the IP Law & Management Institute on November 6^th – 8^th at the Rancho Las Palmas in Palm Springs, CA. Hailed as "One of the few programs geared to experienced in-house IP Counsel", the Institute is a CLE-accredited program designed to provide time-starved Heads of IP with the Opportunity to meet and network with their peers, learn from the best practices and validate solutions and services. [Link]
World Research Group, an official Patently-O Jobs sponsor, is hosting the 3rd Annual Social TechNet Intellectual Property Forum Nov. 16-17 in New York. This conference provides solutions to the most prevalent in-house software and online IP protection and management issues. (Patently-O readers can save $200 by using promo code ABY668) [Link]
IBC will hold a Standards and Patents Conference in London on November 16^th & 17^th. The conference will analyze the interplay between standards, intellectual property and competition law. There will be 28 speakers representing various organizations, such as, the European Commission, Mr. Justice Floyd, IBM, Qualcomm Europe, Nokia, GE Healthcare and Intel. (Patently-O readers receive a 10% discount) [Link]
IBC will hold a US Patent Reform Congress Conference on November 18^th in London. The conference will focus in the impact of the Leahy-Smith America Invents for the European practitioner, with expertise from the EPO, AIPLA, USPTO and more. (Patently-O readers receive a 10% discount) [Link]
The American Conference Institute's 2^nd Annual Forum on: Paragraph IV Disputes will be held in San Francisco on December 7^th. Experienced faculty of renowned litigators and judges will guide attendees through every stage of a Paragraph IV challenge to help them formulate offensive moves and defensive plays. (Patently-O readers can receive a discount by registering with code PO 200) [Link]

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

Patently-O Bits & Bytes by Lawrence Higgins

October 15, 2011USPTO News

Where Will the Patent Satellite Offices Open!

There currently is a lot of lobbying going on by politicians to bring the USPTO to their state. Lawmakers from Silicon Valley, Colorado and Texas are trying to win one of the two satellite offices, since Detroit already is entitled to an office under Leahy-Smith. Colorado Sens. Michael Bennet and Mark Udall, sent a letter to David Kappos trying to sell him on the Rocky Mountain State. Also California lawmakers Anna Eshoo and nine other from sent a letter to Obama making their pitch for Silicon Valley. [Link]

Beacon Navigation Files Suit Against Car Makers

On October 11^th Beacon Navigation filed patent infringement suits against all the big name automobile manufactures. Beacon claims that automobile manufactures infringed either all or some of their patents including 5,819,201, 6,163,269, & 5,878,368. Beacon claims that because the GPS navigation systems in their products are specially adapted for an infringing use of each patent, and embody a material part of the inventions claimed in each patent. As noted by PriorSmart, Beacon is the first plaintiff to file a high volume of individual cases since the new joinder restrictions were enacted. [Complaint]

Mark T. Banner Scholarship

The Richard Linn American Inn of Court is proud to offer the Mark T. Banner Scholarship for law students. This scholarship is part of The Richard Linn American Inn of Court's commitment to fostering the development of intellectual property lawyers of high ethics, civility and professionalism, and especially those from diverse backgrounds. [Link]

Patent Jobs:

Harman International is seeking a patent attorney with at least 8 years of experience. [Link]
Klarquist Sparkman is searching for lateral patent associates or patent agents with at least 1-4 years of experience. [Link]
Klarquist Sparkman is searching for a patent attorney or patent agent with 3+ years of experience. [Link]
Lee & Hayes is looking for patent attorneys with at least 3 years of experience. [Link]
Withrow & Terranova is seeking patent attorneys or patent agents with at least one year of experience. [Link]
Trading Technologies is searching for a patent agent with 3-5 years of experience. [Link]
Trading Technologies is seeking a patent attorney with 3-5 years of experience. [Link]
Volpe and Koenig is looking for a Japanese patent paralegal with prior experience as a patent paralegal. [Link]

Upcoming Events:

The 2011 AIPLA Annual Meeting will be held October 20-22, in Washington, DC. The Annual Meeting will bring nearly 2,000 IP professionals together to meet, share, and connect with one another and provide insight into some of the most pressing issues facing our profession today! Over 100 IP Professionals, from corporations, law firms, universities, the courts, federal agencies, with expertise both domestically and internationally will be presenting on a varied landscape of IP issues. [Link]
American Conference Institute will be holding a FDA Boot Camp Device Edition conference on October 25^th-October 26^th in Chicago. (Patently-O readers can register with code PO 200 for a discount) [Link]
Licensing Executives Society (LES) will be holding their annual meeting on October 16-19 at the Manchester Grand Hyatt in San Diego. Guest speakers include, Martha Ries, VP of IP Management, The Boeing Company and Barbara Dalton VP, Venture Capital, Pfizer. [Link]
The University of Texas at Austin will hold its 16^th Annual Advanced Patent Law Institute on October 27-28. The program will cover: recent developments in claims construction and claims drafting, cost savings in litigation, inequitable conduct after Therasense, and many other topics. [Link]
IPMI is holding the IP Law & Management Institute on November 6^th – 8^th at the Rancho Las Palmas in Palm Springs, CA. Hailed as "One of the few programs geared to experienced in-house IP Counsel", the Institute is a CLE-accredited program designed to provide time-starved Heads of IP with the Opportunity to meet and network with their peers, learn from the best practices and validate solutions and services. [Link]
World Research Group, an official Patently-O Jobs sponsor, is hosting the 3rd Annual Social TechNet Intellectual Property Forum Nov. 16-17 in New York. This conference provides solutions to the most prevalent in-house software and online IP protection and management issues. (Patently-O readers can save $200 by using promo code ABY668) [Link]
IBC will hold a Standards and Patents Conference in London on November 16^th & 17^th. The conference will analyze the interplay between standards, intellectual property and competition law. There will be 28 speakers representing various organizations, such as, the European Commission, Mr. Justice Floyd, IBM, Qualcomm Europe, Nokia, GE Healthcare and Intel. (Patently-O readers receive a 10% discount) [Link]
IBC will hold a US Patent Reform Congress Conference on November 18^th in London. The conference will focus in the impact of the Leahy-Smith America Invents for the European practitioner, with expertise from the EPO, AIPLA, USPTO and more. (Patently-O readers receive a 10% discount) [Link]
The American Conference Institute's 2^nd Annual Forum on: Paragraph IV Disputes will be held in San Francisco on December 7^th. Experienced faculty of renowned litigators and judges will guide attendees through every stage of a Paragraph IV challenge to help them formulate offensive moves and defensive plays. (Patently-O readers can receive a discount by registering with code PO 200) [Link]

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

Patent Law Professor – Univ. of New Hampshire School of Law – Concord, N.H.

October 13, 2011- US - Northeast, Emp - Educational

The University of New Hampshire School of Law’s (UNH Law) Franklin Pierce Center for Intellectual Property is seeking to hire a full-time professor of patent prosecution practice. UNH Law offers the most extensive selection of intellectual property courses in the country, exposing students to a wide range of cutting-edge intellectual property issues. As a pioneer in integrating intellectual property studies into legal education, UNH Law offers students the practical experience needed to handle innovation in today's complex environment.

UNH Law’s unique patent prosecution program is a crown jewel of its intellectual property education program. UNH Law is seeking a full-time professor to teach and direct its patent prosecution program. The person who is hired for this position must be able to teach and continue to develop a program of instruction that provides students with the skills needed to prosecute patent applications, including claims drafting and patent application preparation and procedures. The course includes a weekly lecture component that is given by the patent prosecution professor and small sections with practicing patent attorneys that are managed by the patent prosecution professor. By the end of this two-semester program, students will have drafted a complete patent specification and claims, responded to various USPTO Office Actions, and learned to prepare additional documents for filing with the USPTO.

The position may also entail teaching a smaller capstone patent prosecution practice class or, subject to curricular needs and the interest of the successful applicant, a class outside the patent prosecution program. The position may be structured to accommodate individuals interested in combining teaching responsibilities with an ongoing law practice or other professional obligation.

Qualifications:
Qualified candidates must hold an advanced degree in law (J.D.), be registered as a patent attorney with the USPTO, have considerable experience prosecuting patents, and have familiarity with the America Invents Act of 2011. Prior teaching experience is desirable, but not required.

Contact:
The University of New Hampshire School of Law is strongly committed to diversifying its community and we welcome expressions of interest from, or nominations of, professors who contribute to that diversity. The University of New Hampshire School of Law is an equal opportunity campus and encourages any candidates who will contribute to the excellence of the academic community through their research, teaching and service.

Review of candidates will begin upon receipt. Interested individuals should submit a letter of interest and a resume listing references to:

Susan Richey
Professor of Law
University of New Hampshire School of Law
Franklin Pierce Center for Intellectual Property
Two White Street
Concord, NH 03301
E-mail: susan.richey@law.unh.edu
Tel. (603) 228-1541, ext. 1115

Additional Info:
Employer Type: Educational
Job Location: Concord, New Hampshire

Senior Patent Attorney – Large Corporation – Farmington Hills, Mich.

October 11, 2011- US - Midwest, Emp - Corporate (in-house), Tech - Any / Other, Tech - Electrical, Tech - Mechanical, Work - Licensing / Other Corporate, Work - Patent Prosecution

Harman International is seeking a patent attorney with strong patent prosecution experience. The ideal candidate will be skilled at drafting and prosecuting patent applications (both US and foreign originating), identifying patentable subject matter, harvesting invention disclosures, collaborating with both engineering and business unit executive management to develop and execute patent prosecution strategies, working well in a team-oriented environment, coordinating with foreign counsel and supervising external patent counsel and internal patent personnel. Experience with IP licensing, litigation and patentability and freedom to operate studies/activities is a plus.

Essential Responsibilities:
• Interfacing regularly with engineers to identify patentable subject matter.
• Drafting and prosecuting patent applications for a global patent portfolio (significant portion of the role).
• Collaboration with engineering and business unit executive management.
• Supervising patent counsel, patent attorneys and paralegals.
• Ability to assist with developing US and overseas patent strategy.
• Working with the IP leadership team to determine appropriate freedom to operate/patentability strategies.

Basic Qualifications:
• One needs at least 8 years experience with patent prosecution.
• Member of a state bar.
• Admitted to practice before the USPTO.
• Technical background in electrical engineering, physics, computer science, or mechanical engineering. Technical knowledge of audio components and acoustics a plus.
• Substantial experience in domestic and foreign patent prosecution.
• Excellent English written and oral communications skills.
• Willingness and ability to engage in extensive traveling (Harman has engineering centers throughout the world).
• Ability to multi-task and collaborate (in writing and verbally) across all levels of the organization.

Desired Characteristics:
• Large IP law firm experience preferred; in-house experience is a plus.
• IP licensing.
• Developing and overseeing IP litigation and pre-litigation strategies.
• Experience supporting patent litigation.

Eligibility Requirements:
• Willingness to travel 35%+ of the time.
• Willingness to work in an office in Farmington Hills, Michigan.
• Willingness to submit to a background screen and a drug test.

Contact:
Apply online by visitng the careers section of our website: http://www.harman.com/Careers/Pages/Welcome.aspx.

Additional Info:
Employer Type: Large Corporation
Job Location: Farmington Hills, Michigan

Harman International Industries, Incorporated (Harman International) is engaged in the development, manufacture and marketing of high-fidelity audio products and electronic systems. The Company has developed, both internally and through a series of acquisitions, a range of product offerings. It operates in three segments: Lifestyle, Infotainment and Professional. The Lifestyle segment designs, manufactures and markets audio systems for vehicle applications primarily to be installed as original equipment by automotive manufacturers as well as audio, video and electronic systems for home, mobile and multimedia applications. The Infotainment segment manufactures and markets infotainment systems for vehicles applications primarily to be installed as original equipment by automotive manufacturers. The Professional segment designs, manufactures and markets loudspeakers and electronic systems used by audio professionals in concert halls, stadiums, airports, houses of worship and theme attractions.

Patent Attorney – Law Firm – Multiple Locations

October 10, 2011- US - Northwest, - US - Southwest, Emp - Law Firm, Tech - Biotech, Tech - Electrical, Work - Licensing / Other Corporate, Work - Patent Litigation, Work - Patent Prosecution