Posts Tagged: "patent bar"

Effective April 12, 2011, the USPTO has dramatically updated the patent bar examination. As a result, the PLI Patent Bar Review Course has been completely updated – overhauled really. We had already been working on updates to our materials based on the inevitable change in the exam moving from MPEP Rev. 4 to MPEP Rev. 8. We knew it was only a matter of time before a new revision of the MPEP was tested, so we have had MPEP Rev. 8 materials at the ready. The text and questions have been completely revised and our lectures re-done. We feel confident the PLI patent bar review course is simply the best!

The United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) will update its registration examination and provide new reference materials effective April 12, 2011. The changes will help ensure that newly registered patent attorneys and agents are fully qualified in the most current patent laws, rules and procedures. This change marks the first change to the exam in approximately 5 years, and will bring the patent bar exam current with law, rules and regulations through the Winter of 2011.

This announcement signals a major shift in the way would-be patent attorneys and patent agents will be tested, bringing the exam forward to test the latest developments in rules and laws. It can be reasonably anticipated that the patent bar exam will become a moving target as the Kappos Administration continues to move forward with initiative after initiative and rules package after rules package. Those preparing to take the exam need to be mindful of the need to stay current and not rely upon outdated study guides, reference materials and old questions when studying for the exam.

Pundits I have heard talk about the economy suggest that there is anywhere from $1 trillion to $3 trillion sitting in business bank accounts just waiting for a signal. As that money starts to go online jobs will be created, the economy will look up and consumer confidence will start to rise, all of which are critical to signal a new economic re-invigoration. I sense that 2011 will be a better year than what most are predicting because I see signs that the economy is ready to explode, waiting for good news and reason to no longer fear the unknown.

Over the last month or so it has been made known to PLI that some law firms might be interested in me coming to the firm to give a talk or presentation on some hot patent related issue of the moment. It has also come to my attention that a number of firms have weekly or bi-weekly sessions already scheduled where one member of the firm is tasked with creating a presentation worthy of CLE credit for a “lunch and learn” presentation. I am happy to come to your firm to give such a presentation, and at no cost to your firm. All you have to do is let me speak for 5 minutes about PLI offerings, such as their CLE Seminars, Patent Bar Review Course and Treatises. I promise these 5 minutes won’t eat into any CLE worthy presentation I give, and will meet any requirements as agree upon so as to make sure attorneys attending get appropriate CLE credit.

In this interview we talk about how two Presidents that are extremely different on so many fronts, Presidents Reagan and Obama, are pursuing quite similar strategies regarding the Patent Office. We also talk about the importance of good working relations between patent examiners and the patent bar, the enormous backlog of applications at the Patent Office, the Patent Office process for handling decisions and issuing guidance in situations such as the recent Supreme Court decision in Bilski v. Kappos and what it is like to be Commissioner for Patents and the Director of the Patent and Trademark Office.

And now a message from the shameless commerce division, brought to you by the #1 Patent Bar Review Course in the Nation… the PLI Patent Bar Review Course. PLI is offering a 20% discount for those who sign up to attend the Orange Country course in Costa Mesa, California. To take advantage of the 20% discount you need to call the PLI Patent Bar Review Hotline at 888.296.5973 by the close of business Eastern Time on Wednesday, May 26, 2010.

PLI is pleased to announce a new live course added to the schedule in conjunction with the Santa Clara University School of Law’s High Tech Law Institute. The Santa Clara course is scheduled for Monday, May 24, 2010 to Friday, May 28, 2010. The PLI Patent Bar Review course is not typically Monday through Friday, and there are always some that say they would prefer a Monday through Friday live course, so if that is your preference here is your chance.

This year individuals seeking registration before the United States Patent and Trademark Office (Office) as patent attorneys and agents can take the exam at the USPTO on July 13 or July 14, 2010. The deadline for applying to take the exam in person at the USPTO is Friday, May 14, 2010. While the last time the Patent Office released Patent Bar Examination results is well over 3 years ago, over the preceding decade some 30,609 administrations of the exam, with 16,266 individuals passing the exam and becoming either patent attorneys or patent agents, which corresponds to an overall pass rate of 53.1%.

It is about that time of the year where our calendar really starts to heat up. This course, which happens every year during law school spring break, finds us in Chicago during St. Patrick’s Day festivities and the start of the NCAA College Basketball tournament. Once our Spring school tour is over then we will be back on the road teaching courses in New York City (May), Southern CA (June), Boston (July), Chicago (August), New York City (September) and San Francisco (November). We are indeed heading into our busy season!

“Patrick Walsh” was a little too broad; I limited it to “Patrick Walsh patent,” to see if anything of interest popped up more specific to my career as a professional patent searcher. What I found was this gem of early 1900’s journalism from the New York Times: Dated May 14th, 1909. If you were so unlucky as to fall victim to the former Walsh Bros. & Company, you were only down $4, Even by 1909 standards, $4 isn’t not the end of the world.

At the end of 2009 I did a two part series setting forth what I believed to be the Top 10 Patent Stories of the Decade, see Top 10 – #1 to #5 and Top 10 – #6 to #10.  At the time I promised to do a third in the series, which would discuss the “Honorable Mentions.”  After taking…

Some of the most popular pages month after month on IPWatchdog.com are our Patent Bar information pages, and given that I teach for the PLI Patent Bar Review Course we get a lot of e-mail inquiries regarding the patent bar examination.  Pretty much every week we hear from individuals who are interested in becoming patent agents or patent attorneys, and…

Last week I was in New York City teaching the PLI Patent Bar Review Course along with John White.  The week was a good one, although the city was crazy with heads of state at the UN, terror worries about NY City hotels and President Clinton at the Sheraton across the street from PLI headquarters at the Clinton Global Initiative…

Patent Bar Review September 22-26, 2009, New York City In clear, concise, right-to-the-point language, this information-packed course leads you through the intricacies – and around the traps – of the Patent Bar Exam. You’ll get the hard facts, test-taking tips, sample questions and answers, and intense practice exams that mirror what you’re going to face when you sit down to…