AGENDA: Wednesday, November 20, 2019

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 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 businesses goals come to the forefront with the transactional side of IP. M&A, buying and selling portfolios, and structuring impactful licensing deals can be a challenge in a shifting IP landscape. As a result, IP business models have evolved. The lack of data on IP transactions and the multiple valuation techniques for portfolios make for a subjective benchmarking strategy.

This panel will explore: 

• IP transactions landscape in the current environment
• Overall M&A activity and IP Valuation
• What does it take to get licensing deals accomplished in the current environment?
• The impact of increased international business activity

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

With growing complexity in the United States' IP landscape many US companies are looking at international IP strategy to enhance the company’s business goals. For example, in the two biggest markets for the majority of US companies, China and Europe, there are multiple developments to stay on top of. In China the development of a more balanced approach to IP litigation is making it an essential market for US companies. With Europe the turmoil of Brexit and recent changes to the EPO have US companies needing to understand where that leaves them in terms of strategy. 

This panel will explore:

• China – is it becoming more balanced for US companies?
• What are the other markets to pay attention to in Asia?
• Europe – Brexit and EPO updates
  • UK and Germany litigation landscape
• Working with foreign law firms and corporate offices

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

Data has evolved into a pervasive business concern, both as a potential asset and a potential liability, and companies in a myriad industries are increasingly using alternative data – disaggregated data from disparate sources – to drive business objectives and obtain a competitive advantage.  This presentation discusses the various legal and technical issues that arise from gathering, monetizing and using alternative data.  Challenges we will explore include data sourcing in compliance with regulations and contractual restrictions, intellectual property, information theft, and the impact of privacy laws like the European Union’s GDPR and the recently enacted California Consumer Privacy Act.

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. A finalized set of processes however, still remains unclear. While IPR costs and time to trial is 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

The landscape seems to be giving a series of mixed messages. New patent disputes in Q1&2 is 10% lower than the first half of 2018. PTAB challenges in the first and second quarters of 2019 declined, amounting to the lowest number of new cases since 2014. District court patent litigation has remained Level, with NPE challenges increasing 13%. TC Heartland impact is dramatic with Delaware District Court which experiencing a 28% increase in patent suits. 

This panel will explore:

• What is going on and where is the landscape heading
• A shifting of balance – moving back towards a more neutral environment
• Drop in institution rates for the PTAB
• How does this play into the way you approach enforcement?
• NPEs are ramping up their efforts in 2019
• How is this venue impacting your strategy?
• Are the jurisdictions ready – Delaware?
• New USPTO Director – mixed messages
• ITC and International Litigation  

Roundtable 1: Updates & Strategy for Delaware Post TC Heartland
Anne Shea Gaza, Partner, Young Conaway Stargatt & Taylor LLC

Roundtable 2: European Patent Strategy
Christopher Carroll, Partner, White & Case LLP

Roundtable 3: Unlock the Potential of the Examiner Interview: Why It’s Worth It In The Long Run
Anne Davis Barry, Partner, Cantor Colburn LLP

Roundtable 4: Patent Annuity Market Trends
Dan Bikus, Business Development Manager, Dennemeyer