Hot Topics in Intellectual Property 2008

George Mason University School of Law
Intellectual Property Program

Presents the Seventh Annual Symposium on

HOT TOPICS IN PATENT LAW 2008

Co-sponsored by

Banner & Witcoff, LTD

July 21, 2008
9:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

SPEAKERS

  • Judge T.S. Ellis III, Judge Leonie M. Brinkema, and Judge John F. Anderson
    Eastern District of Virginia
  • Hon. S. Jay Plager
    Senior Circuit Judge
    U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit
  • William Kovacic
    Chairman
    Federal Trade Commission
  • John J. Love
    Deputy Commissioner for Patent Examination Policy
    United States Patent and Trademark Office
  • John M. Whealan
    Associate Dean for Intellectual Property Law
    George Washington University Law School
    Former Solicitor of the United States Patent and Trademark Office (broch to the Senate Judiciary Committee, May 2007-08).
  • David Hricik
    Associate Professor
    Mercer University School of Law
  • Robert Katz
    Partner
    Banner & Witcoff, Ltd
  • Michael Sartori
    Partner
    Venable LLP

PROGRAM DETAILS

Moderators: Jordan N. Bodner and Brian J. Brisnehan, Banner & Witcoff, Ltd.
Symposium Chair: Bradley C. Wright, Banner & Witcoff, Ltd.

MORNING SESSION
Time Activities
9:30 am
Welcome:
by Dan Polsby, Dean and Professor of Law, George Mason University School of Law and Bradley C. Wright, Banner & Witcoff, Ltd
9:40 to 10:25 am
Topic:
Balancing Patent Policy and Competition Policy
Speaker: William Kovacic, Chairman of the Federal Trade Commission
10:25 to 11:25 am
(1.0 ethics credit)
Topic:
Conflicts of Interest in Patent Litigation (ethics credit)
Speaker: David Hricik, Associate Professor, Mercer University School of Law.
11:25 to 11:35 am
Break 
11:35 to 12:20 pm
Topic:
Lawman, Egyptian Goddess, and the Future of U.S. Design Patents
Speaker: Robert Katz, Partner, Banner & Witcoff, Ltd
12:20 to 1:30 pm
LUNCH:
(sponsored by Banner & Witcoff, Ltd.)
Topic:
Hot Topics – Looking Ahead
Speaker:
Hon. S. Jay Plager, Senior Circuit Judge, U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit

AFTERNOON SESSION
Time Activities
1:30 to 2:30 pm
Topic:
The Proposed Patent Reform Legislation
Speaker:
John M. Whealan, Associate Dean for Intellectual Property Law, George Washington University Law School, former Solicitor of the United States Patent and Trademark Office (detailed to the Senate Judiciary Committee, May 2007-08).
2:30 pm to 3:30 pm
Topic:
Judicial Panel Discussion: Patent Litigation in the Eastern District of Virginia
Panel:
Senior Judge T.S. Ellis III, Eastern District of Virginia
Judge Leonie M. Brinkema, Eastern District of Virginia
Magistrate Judge John F. Anderson, Eastern District of Virginia
Moderator:
Roderick R. McKelvie, Partner, Covington & Burling, LLP and former District Judge, D. Delaware
3:30 to 3:40 pm
Break 
3:40 to 4:20 pm
Topic:
USPTO Consideration of Obviousness After KSR
Speaker: John J. Love, Deputy Commissioner for Patent Examination Policy, United States Patent and Trademark Office
4:20 to 5:00 pm
Topic:
Statutory Subject Matter – Comiskey, Nuijten, and now In re Bilski
Speaker:
Michael Sartori, Partner, Venable LLP
5:00 to 6:00 pm
Reception:
Following the program sponsored by Banner & Witcoff, Ltd

Intellectual Property Program
George Mason University School of Law
Phone: (703) 993-8000
Web: www.law.gmu.edu/ip