Corporate Patent Seminar 2010

Registration is now open for the 46th annual Corporate Patent Seminar!

November 14-16, 2010 (Sunday-Tuesday)

Austin, Texas -- Hyatt Regency Austin, Downtown on the Lake

register online

reserve your hotel room online

Reserve your hotel room by Thursday, September 16 to lock in the meeting room rate!

Who are we? The Corporate Patent Seminar (‘CPS’) is an informal group of attorneys passionate about learning and sharing everything to do with the practice and business of patent law. All work done is totally voluntary, without sponsorship, to ensure a fair and honest perspective of the challenges and solutions to the patent practitioner.

Who should attend? The Corporate Patent Seminar is for corporate patent professionals. If you are a corporate patent professional, then you are encouraged and welcomed to attend. Here are comments from past attendees:

• “This seminar absolutely provides the most bang for the buck. Just compare the costs.”
• “I have heard several design patent speakers before and this was the best by far.”
• “The smaller size really provides an opportunity to build new contacts and the addition of international attendees/speakers is a real plus.”

Program topics:

• SUNDAY, November 14
  • 6:30 PM - Cocktails and dinner (provided)
• MONDAY, November 15
  • Continental breakfast (provided)
  • 8:00 AM – 8:15 AM – Summary of session – Steve/Dom Agenda Review/Conference Mission and Goals Ground Rules/Facilities
  • 8:15 AM – 8:30 AM – Introductions
  • 8:30 AM – 9:15 AM – Patent Prosecution Highway
  • 9:15 AM – 9:30 AM – Q&A
  • 9:30 AM – 10:00 AM – Break
  • 10:00 AM – 10:45 AM – How do I choose an ISA (International Searching Authority) -  does the PPH affect this?
  • 10:45 AM – 11:00 AM – Q&A
  • 11:00 AM – 12:00 AM – Around the room – share one major initiative ongoing for your company
  • 12:00 noon – 1:00 PM – Lunch (provided)
  • 1:00 PM – 2:00 PM – Foreign Filing License Requirements – for example, what if I have inventive activity in China and India?
  • 2:00 PM – 4:00 PM – Which countries to file in?
    • Procter & Gamble
    • Caterpillar
    • other company speakers
  • 4:00 PM – 4:30 PM – Q&A/ Wrap Up
  • Cocktails, dinner and social event (provided)
• TUESDAY, November 16, 2010
  • Continental breakfast (provided)
  • 9:00 AM – 9:15 AM – Summary of session
  • 9:15 AM – 10:00 AM – Cost effective design filings – can I file in the Hague from the US?
  • 10:00 AM – 10:30 AM – Break
  • 10:30 AM – 11:15 AM – Tax considerations through intercompany licensing of IP
  • 11:15 AM – 11:30 AM - Q&A
  • 11:30 AM – 12:00 noon – Lunch (provided)
  • 12:00 noon – 2:00 PM – Best Practices for Corporate Patent Management
  • 2:00 PM – 2:30 PM – Q&A and Wrap Up

(Topics are subject to change.)

Speakers/Moderators include:

• Timothy Guffey - Global Patent Services Manager, The Procter & Gamble Company
• Steven Krefman - Of Counsel, Rader, Fishman & Grauer PLLC
• Steven G. Kibby - Senior Corporate Counsel, Caterpillar, Inc.
• Carl Oppedahl - Partner, Oppedahl Patent Law Firm LLC
• Domenic Leo – Senior Vice President, Article One Partners

More about the CORPORATE PATENT SEMINAR: We are an ad hoc non-profit association of senior corporate patent professionals dedicated to the effective and healthy exchange of ideas and experiences in the area of intellectual property law and corporate practice. In addition to having a series of talks on topics of interest for in-house IP counsel, our annual meeting will include the following features:

• ROUNDTABLE DISCUSSIONS, one of the principal hallmarks of the CORPORATE PATENT SEMINAR: Each participant is encouraged to contribute his or her experiences and insights on a defined subject related to the overall program in discussions held toward the conclusion of each of our seminar sessions. Indeed, our annual program strongly encourages open, active discussion among the attendees.
• PARTICIPANT WORKSHOP: Topics to be announced.

Our program tends to be the most beneficial to senior corporate patent counsel. Many have commented that our meetings of peers present great value by sharing ideas and exploring relevant issues with leaders of other corporate patent departments. In this informal atmosphere, concerns arising in the shop of one counsel can be addressed by the experiences of others. All attendees find the opportunities to offer and receive help and have other high-minded interactions, such as conduct benchmarking for current in-house practices, among other exchanges, particularly helpful.

To facilitate the open and frank discussions that are the heart and strength of the Corporate Patent Seminar, all attendees tacitly agree by their participation that all comments and views of other attendees will be held in confidence.

We look forward to having you join us in Austin this year and encourage you to bring your spouse or a guest. We are certain you will find the 2010 CORPORATE PATENT SEMINAR experience as informative and enjoyable as those of the past years. If for some reason you cannot attend, please consider sending someone else to represent your company to capitalize on the wealth of information available from the program speakers, poster sessions, and roundtable discussions.

Because of the nature of Corporate Patent Seminar's Roundtable Discussions and format, attendance is limited. Registrations received above our attendance cut off will unfortunately have to be returned. To ensure your place at this years seminar please register early!

Recommended Attire: Dress for all meetings is business casual. Dress for both dinners is casual elegant (shirts with collars, jackets for the gentlemen).

The Hotel - The Hyatt Regency Austin is a beautiful facility located in Austin, Texas. This time of year the temperature is a mild 70-80°F. We have reserved a block of rooms at the Hyatt Regency Austin. To make your room reservation, click here. The meeting room rate is assured so long as you reserve by Thursday, September 16. Note that the program registration fee does not include the cost of the hotel lodging.

From the hotel's website:

Discover the perfect balance between the city beat and resort calm at Hyatt Regency Austin. Set on the shore of Lady Bird Lake, the ideal location of our Four Diamond downtown Austin hotel lets you experience the best of our eclectic city. Catch the display at the famous "Bat Bridge", right outside our hotel in downtown Austin. Wander across Congress to find yourself immersed in the entertainment districts -- including SoCo, Warehouse District, 2nd Street and Sixth Street. Take full advantage of our lake locale with a ride around the trail, paddle a canoe, relax by the pool or work out in the 24-hour gym. Critically acclaimed dining, redesigned guestrooms, elegant event venues, and the best view of downtown add the finishing touches to our inviting downtown Austin, Texas hotel.

Call or e-mail one of us with any questions and register early. For the most up-to-date information about the seminar, please continue to visit our website. We look forward to seeing you on November 14th for a productive seminar.

Sincerely, 2010 Corporate Patent Seminar Program

• Site Committee Chair: Steven G. Kibby
• Seminar Content Chairs: Carl Oppedahl and Tim Guffey
• Publicity Committee Chair: Domenic Leo

Additional information can be obtained by contacting the following: Domenic Leo dleo@articleonepartners.com 810-874-1024

Note: The employers of the Co-Chairs are not sponsoring, and are not involved with this conference in any manner.