PLI Seminar on Prior Art & Obviousness

Practising Law Institute (PLI) will be holding a seminar entitled: "Prior Art & Obviousness 2009:  The PTO & CAFC Perspective on Patent Law Sections 102 & 103" on July 6, 2009 in New York, NY and on September 1, 2009 in San Francisco, CA.  The seminar will provide information on the following topics:

• When is a patent a "patent" under the statute?
• Public accessibility -- on the web, on the shelf, in the mail, "routine" practices;
• Four steps to the abyss of 102(d);
• Ex parte 102(g); abandon, suppress, conceal;
• Actual vs. constructive reduction to practice (where 102(e) trumps 102(g));
• What have they done to 102(e)?
• A walk through the "guidelines" and "timelines"; and
• Impact of proper/improper benefit claims on:  a) prior art date of a reference, and b) effective filing date of the application being examined.

In particular, PLI's faculty will offer presentations on the following topics:

I.  Section 102 and the MPEP, from (a) to (g) (or what isn't in the statute but is in the law?)

A.  "Public knowledge" vs. "public use," "in this country"
B.  Section 103 and the PTO KSR Guidelines

II.  Section 102(a) – (d)

A.  102(a) & (b) and the CAFC 2008
B.  102(c) & (d):  Abandonment and the "four steps"

III.  102(f) & (g):  Joint ventures and co-development
IV.  35 U.S.C. 103 and the CAFC
V.  102(e) and the 9 most common timelines:  Effects of priority under 119, 120, 121, 365

A program schedule and list of speakers for the New York Patent Law Institute can be found here, and a program schedule and list of speakers for the San Franscisco Patent Law Institute can be found here.

The registration fee for the conference is $1,495.  Those interested in registering for the conference can do so here (New York) or here (San Francisco).