A panel of Patent Trial and Appeal Board (PTAB) judges recently visited Rice University to take part in an ex parte appeal training session at Fondren Library where the judges shared best practices for how to succeed in an appeal.
As part of the Ex Parte Appeal Roadshow put on by the United States Patent and Trademark Office, the event allowed attendees to learn directly from PTAB judges about proceedings that involve applicant appeals of rejections to their applications, also known as ex parte appeal proceedings. Rice’s Patent and Trademark Resource Center (PTRC) in Fondren Library was selected to host the opening event for the current season of roadshows.
PTAB judges taught sessions with topics including:
-
Tips to file an appeal brief efficiently
-
How to make written arguments more persuasive
-
How to present an effective oral argument before a judge panel
Hannah Edlund, the government information librarian at Rice, also gave a presentation about the PTRC, helping spread awareness of the program.
“Houston is known for its high concentration of intellectual property attorneys and lawyers,” Edlund said. “Rice and the PTRC hosted a rare opportunity to see inside the appeals process and learn directly from active PTAB judges as part of our key role in the innovation and entrepreneurship ecosystem of the Houston community.
“Attendance was robust with patent attorneys, agents, examiners and inventors representing various law firms and corporations.”
After the event, the Rice Center for Engineering Leadership’s George Webb and the Houston Intellectual Property Lawyers Association hosted a networking reception.