AGENDA: Thursday, October 15th, 2020

A complex and unclear patent landscape, the DTSA and headlines covering high profile cases and stories of intrigue and espionage have brought Trade Secrets to the attention of the C-Suite. To avoid making the headlines organizations must understand that at its core trade secrets is a human initiative – requiring constant management and employee engagement. How can trade secret breaches and liability be avoided? How can you prove a trade secrets breach if it occurs?

This panel will explore:

• Benchmarking the current landscape:
  • DTSA
  • Current case law
• Going beyond ticking boxes – What are real-world effective trainings and policies?
• Areas of trade secrets liability: exiting employees, onboarding and high-stakes markets or innovation
• When there is a breach – damage control

In today’s changing and complex landscape the management of your portfolio is the engine room of a well balanced and proactive strategy. A well run portfolio gives the business the ability to protect market share, block competitors and create future options and opportunity. In today’s environment, what does running a balanced and effective portfolio look like? How can you prepare for the future?

This panel will explore:

• The changing landscape – how does it impact your portfolio management?
• What are the signs that your portfolio is in good shape or not?
• How can you prepare for the future and changing goals?
• What are the areas of strategy or analysis that are overlooked?

Managing patent prosecution and a portfolio in today’s complex and ever changing landscape requires tackling inconsistency by the APJ, budget pressures and a need for higher quality patents. With the budget pressure comes a need to be selective with international filings, focusing on countries that are both important to the business and are patent friendly. Coupled with an apparently pro-patent USPTO director, what does the future hold and how will this environment affect your current filings and portfolio?

This panel will explore:

• How will the new USPTO director’s initiative impact patent filing strategies?
• Budget constraints and a push for quality patents – Can this continue?
• Are continuations and provisionals a sound strategy to buy-time?
• Managing the portfolio budget and renewals – Mixed messages from management
• International filings:
  
  • A bad omen for the US system?
  • What are the best strategies?

The Environment for Patent Litigation is changing but exactly how much is still unclear. From a defensive perspective there is a new patent owner leaning OSPTO Director, IPRS are not always the obvious choice jurisdiction issues are front of mind, and plaintiffs are more savvy, battle tested and willing to use international forums. Patent prosecution is focused on “a push to Quality” – however budgets tightening and quality don’t go hand in hand. The landscape is in flux and seems to be getting more complex. As institution rates decline IPR use is less automatic and requires greater due diligence. While NPE litigation decreases – operating company litigation remains constant. Obviously avoiding litigation is preferable but how can you both be proactive and maintain strong defenses when needed?

This panel will explore:

• Litigation avoidance through portfolio management and product development
• Preparing for a shifting in the patent landscape
• Be ready for the international Litigation or ITC
• Proactive defensive strategy :
• Preparedness
• Operating company and rivals
• NPE defense updates
• Shift at the PTAB – the data is confusing

The PTAB has acted swiftly, adjusting to SCOTUS’ SAS Institute Inc. V. IANCU decision – instituting a spate of short-term efforts to comply with the decision. However, a finalized set of processes still remains unclear. While IPR costs and time to trial are expected to increase, counsel are also facing a strategic rethink to the process. Will IPR dominance remain? Will the recent sovereign immunity ruling bring even greater complexity to the process? What should you focus on? How will the business be impacted?

This panel will explore:

• State of the current IPR landscape:
  • PTAB today – What do we know? What should you plan for?
  • How should you prepare?
  • Choosing IPRs – Have considerations changed?
• How to change or evolve your strategy?
• Has the business case changed for IPRs?
  • Cost, Resource Allocation – Impact on the business
  • Fee hikes – What will their impact be?
• Best practices in front of the USPTO

Presented by: Dennemeyer Group

Roundtable 1: Topic & Details Coming Soon
Ron Cahill, Partner, Nutter, McLennen & Fish LLP

Roundtable 2: Topic & Details Coming Soon
Moderated by Cantor Colburn

Roundtable 3: TBD

Roundtable 4: TBD

Click here for more info.