The National Association of Patent Practitioners (NAPP) will be holding its 2011 Annual Meeting on July 16-19, 2011 in Las Vegas, NV.  An optional short-course entitled: "The Nuts & Bolts of Patent Prosecution Practice," which is structured for the patent practitioner who has 0-3 years of patent prosecution experience, will be offered on July 16.  Topics to be covered during the short course include:

• Patent Searching
• Inventorship & Ownership
• Patent Specification & Claim Drafting
• Patent Drawings
• Information Disclosure
• Office Actions
• Final Disposition: Notice of Allowance and Issuance
• Growing a Successful Patent
• Practitioner Knowledge Tools
• Building a Successful Solo Practice

Following the organization's annual membership meeting on July 17, a two-day conference entitled: "2011 Patent Practice Update" will be held on July 18-19.  Topics to be covered during the conference include:

• Accelerated Examination Practice
• Interviews for Compact Prosecution
• Anticipating Claim Construction & Strategic Claims Drafting
• Practitioner's Liability and How to Avoid Malpractice Claims
• BPAI Appeals Practice
• WIPO/PCT Updates
• USPTO Speaker — TBA
• Outsourcing Foreign Filings
• Portfolio Management
• U.S. Patent Reform
• Multi-Party Infringement
• Federal Circuit Update
• Inequitable Conduct
• Doing Business in Asia
• Patents in Korea
• Ethical Issues in Patent Practice

A program for the meeting, including an agenda, list of speakers, and registration information can be downloaded here.

The registration fee for the short-course ranges from $395 (for NAPP members) to $595 (for non-members); law students can attend the short course free of charge.  The registration fee for the annual meeting and conference is $245 (for law students), $695 (for NAPP members), or $895 (for non-members).  The registration fee for both the short-course and annual meeting/conference is $245 (for law students), $895 (for NAPP members), and $1,095 (for non-members).  NAPP members or non-members registering by June 15 will receive a $100 discount off the above rates (law students are not eligible for this discount).  Those interested in registering for the meeting can do so here.