The New Civil Liberties Alliance (NCLA) this week filed a reply brief in the U.S. Supreme Court on behalf of U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit (CAFC) Judge Pauline Newman. The reply brief responded directly to the opposition brief filed by the Solicitor General, representing the Judicial Council of the Federal Circuit, on May 12, which urged the Court to deny review of Newman’s petition.

On April 30, 2026, U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) Director John A. Squires issued an updated memorandum on Best Practices for Submission of Rule 132 Subject Matter Eligibility Declarations (SMEDs), “superseding” the December 4, 2025, memos that launched the current iteration of the SMED program. While the April 30 memo introduces no substantive changes to the underlying framework — the principles of the original SMED Examiner Memo, the relevant Manual of Patent Examining Procedure (MPEP) provisions, and the Alice/Mayo two-step analysis all remain — the update matters to practitioners for at least two reasons: it confirms that SMEDs are actually working, and it signals that the Office intends to refine the guidance over time as practitioners gain more experience with the tool.

ArentFox Schiff LLP is seeking a patent attorney or patent agent with five or more years of experience to join the firm’s Intellectual Property practice in San Francisco. The successful candidate will draft and prosecute U.S. and worldwide patent applications in a client-facing role that requires direct engagement with inventors and scientists. For attorney candidates, this is a non-partnership track position. A bachelor’s degree or higher in Electrical Engineering, Patent Bar registration, and demonstrated expertise in wireless telecommunications — including 5G/6G and WiFi — are required. Strong written, oral, and organizational skills are essential. Current experience preparing patent applications for Qualcomm is highly preferred, and additional experience in areas such as power devices, analog circuits, medical devices, software, mechanical devices, or 3D printing is a plus.