USPTO Solicitor/Deputy General Counsel Leaves For DC Law Firm 05/11/2018 by Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment Nathan Kelley has stepped down from his role as solicitor and deputy general counsel at the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) to join the Perkins Coie law firm in Washington, DC. Kelley also had served as chief administrative patent judge in charge of the Patent Trial and Appeal Board (PTAB).
UN International Telecommunication Union Re-Elects Leadership For Another Four Years 01/11/2018 by William New, Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment Houlin Chao of China has been re-elected secretary-general of the UN International Telecommunication Union (ITU) in Geneva, with Malcolm Johnson of the United Kingdom re-elected as deputy secretary-general. Chao ran unopposed and received 176 votes, while Johnson defeated an opponent by garnering 113 votes. And in one of several other posts, ITU hailed the election of the first woman to a leadership position in the agency’s 153-year history.
USPTO Director: It’s A New Day At The PTAB! Is It A New Day For Low-Quality Patents? 26/10/2018 by William New, Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment United States Patent and Trademark Office Director Andrei Iancu yesterday proclaimed what industry patent attorneys may have wanted to hear, that the recently implemented system for challenging the quality of patents in the United States could be reined in under his leadership.
EPO Names Three New Vice-Presidents, From UK, Germany, Austria 11/10/2018 by Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment The European Patent Office today announced the appointment of three new vice-presidents, related to patent granting, legal and international affairs, and corporate services. The appointees come from Germany, the United Kingdom, and Austria.
Conference Preview: Respect For IP – Growing From The Tip of Africa 04/10/2018 by William New, Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment The World Intellectual Property Organization is partnering with a range of other organisations and the government of South Africa to hold an international conference on “respect for intellectual property.” The conference will take place from 23-25 October in Sandton, South Africa. Intellectual Property Watch conducted an interview with Louise Van Greunen, Director, Building Respect for IP Division, about the upcoming conference.
Interview With Miguel Ángel Margáin, Director General Of The Mexican Institute Of Industrial Property 01/10/2018 by William New, Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment Miguel Ángel Margáin, Director General of the Mexican Institute of Industrial Property, took office in early 2013, and was in Geneva for the annual World Intellectual Property Organization General Assemblies. William New of Intellectual Property Watch sat down with him for an interview. He spoke about achievements of the office during this administration, major amendments to adhere to global treaties and changes in the NAFTA, the introduction of geographical indications, and the ascendance of IP rights in Latin America.
WHO Head Highlights Tobacco Plain Packaging Victory At WTO; Vaping Lobbyists Hit Geneva 01/10/2018 by William New, Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment World Health Organization Director General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus (Dr Tedros) today hailed a dispute settlement decision at the neighbouring World Trade Organization upholding laws requiring tobacco products to be packaged without logos or designs as a way to reduce interest in smoking. Meanwhile, lobbyists for popular alternative “electronic” tobacco products such as vaping are out in force in Geneva this week.
Interview With The President Of Brazil’s Industrial Property Institute 27/09/2018 by William New, Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment Luiz Otávio Pimentel is president of the National Institute of Industrial Property (INPI) of Brazil. In Geneva this week for the annual World Intellectual Property Organization General Assemblies he took time to sit down with Intellectual Property Watch’s William New. INPI is part of the Ministry of Industry, Foreign Trade and Services. On a breaking issue, Pimentel talked about the case in Brazil involving sofosbuvir, marketed as Sovaldi, Gilead’s effective medicine against hepatitis C that has been known for its exorbitant prices.
WIPO General Assemblies Mid-Week Notebook: Heating Up 27/09/2018 by Catherine Saez and William New, Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment After two days of general statements, World Intellectual Property Organization delegates delved into more substantial subjects, and convened in small closed informal discussions to try to solve issues left open during the year. Among them is the composition of WIPO Coordination Committee and Program and Budget Committee, both WIPO governing bodies. Others include potential treaties on harmonising international applications by industrial designs creators, and on the protection of broadcasting organisations against signal theft.
Interview With The Korea IP Office’s Acting Commissioner 27/09/2018 by Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment Korean Intellectual Property Office (KIPO) Acting Commissioner Kim Tae Man is attending the annual World Intellectual Property Organization General Assembly this week. In that context, he sat down with Intellectual Property Watch, and in a mutually prepared Q&A, he described some of KIPO’s policies and future plans, collaboration with WIPO, international partnerships, and regional efforts toward global harmonisation.