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Frank W. Cullen Jr.
Executive Director
Council for Innovation Promotion (C4IP)
Frank Cullen currently serves as the Executive Director of the Council for Innovation Promotion (C4IP), a bi-partisan non-profit dedicated to supporting and promoting the intellectual property policies that support innovation and creative output.
Frank previously served as Vice President of U.S. Policy at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, where he led the Chamber’s domestic intellectual property policy work. He began his career in Los Angeles and was vice president for FCA Company, a full-service public affairs and government relations firm. In 1989, Frank was appointed public relations director for the city of Palm Springs, California, and conceived and implemented a highly successful promotional campaign featuring then-Mayor Sonny Bono. Subsequently, he served as director of Bono for U.S. Senate ’92. When Bono was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives, he asked Frank to join him to direct his communications shop, a position he held until Bono’s untimely death. He then joined Rep. Mary Bono as her communications director. After one year, he was promoted to chief of staff, a position he held for 15 years.
Recent Articles by Frank W. Cullen Jr.
Claims That Scientists are Underreporting Federal Support on Patents Don’t Pass the Smell Test
A new article in Science claims that nearly one-third of patents arising from federally funded research fail to disclose this funding. Such omissions, if intentional, could violate federal law. If true, this would be a bombshell. Fortunately, it’s not true. The study’s methodology is deeply flawed. Yet it could nevertheless provide a pretext for lawmakers to enact unnecessary and burdensome legislation, killing public-private research collaborations.
Beware the Shadow Statute: ALI’s Copyright Restatement Project is Quite the Fright
American creators know how to celebrate Halloween: Whether they’re writing a mystery novel, shooting a horror movie, or painting a calavera, they’re a huge part of the season. Unfortunately, this year, there’s a monster lurking that creators didn’t manufacture: The American Law Institute’s (ALI’s) Copyright Restatement Project. The ALI is an independent organization that produces and publishes academic papers, including “Restatements of Law”—papers on legal subjects that judges and lawyers can use as guidance. Most of the time, ALI’s restatements help advance uniformity and certainty in the court system. But their Copyright Restatement Project is a step in the wrong direction. In fact, it’s a step into a graveyard of killer consequences.
Game On: How IP Helps the Video Game Industry Level Up
While countless industries have been forced to adapt to the COVID-19 pandemic, the video game industry has been on a winning streak. Historic numbers of people have turned to video games for social connection, competitive sport, and everything in between. By the numbers, one in three people on the planet play video games and, this week, millions of those people tuned into E3, the premiere event for game players and game creators alike.
Who Deserves Recognition This Awards Season? A Robust, Resilient Creative Industry
After a year of cancellations and postponements, awards season is here. The competition for the best in film, TV, and music is fierce: There are underdogs, there are crowd favorites, there are snubs, and there are critics’ darlings, but this year, the hero of the hardware isn’t one single piece. It’s the creative industry itself. The creative industry has overcome every obstacle – from shutdowns and funding squeezes to changing production regulations and new social norms – to keep us connected, protected, and informed throughout the pandemic.