On Friday, September 16, 2016, the newly formed Patent Trial and Appeal Board (“PTAB”) Bar Association launched. The creation of the PTAB Bar Association has involved collegial collaboration among more than 45 law firms, including Goodwin, over the past several months. The Association’s mission is to promote the highest professional and ethical standards among lawyers and stakeholders who appear before the PTAB; to help establish best practices for the unique practice and skills required before the PTAB; and to foster communication among its various stakeholders.
“We are thrilled to have partnered with our peer firms to create a bar association solely dedicated to the Patent Trial and Appeal Board,” said Cynthia Hardman, a partner in Goodwin's IP Litigation Group and co-chair of the firm’s PTAB Practice. “As the PTAB has quickly become a popular and efficient venue for resolving patent validity challenges, a dedicated bar association will serve a critical role in promoting dialogue and collaboration among the Board’s stakeholders. We are honored to be a part of this innovative initiative.”
It has been more than 30 years since a national bar association of this scope has been formed. The PTAB Bar Association will provide a forum for communications between the legal community and PTAB officials and its Administrative Patent Judges, particularly to share best practices and stay abreast of the rule making, procedure, and jurisprudence emanating from the PTAB.
In addition to providing a forum for communications between the PTAB and practitioners, the Association also will coordinate many other important functions, such as PTAB-centric continuing legal education, pro bono opportunities, career enhancement, and scholarship activities.
The Inaugural Annual Conference of the PTAB Bar Association will take place March 1 – 2, 2017 in Washington, D.C. To become a member of the PTAB Bar Association, and for more details on its events and functions, please visit www.PTABBar.org.
About the PTAB Bar Association
The PTAB Bar Association is the only bar association solely dedicated to practice before the Patent Trial and Appeal Board. This organization recognizes the unique practice and skills required before the PTAB, and the desire to improve the level of professional service and stature of the legal community that practices before it. The PTAB Bar Association is collaborative, collegial, inclusive, highly-professional, and community-centric.