Dilworth IP

In a few weeks, Dilworth IP partner Ben Lehberger and I will be attending the 2024 JPPCLE Seminar in NYC. Ben will contribute his expertise with a presentation on “USPTO Guidance on AI as an Inventor and Use of AI Tools for Submissions." Ben will be presenting as part of the USPTO & PTAB Practice panel on Tuesday, September 10th, between 8:40 – 10:10 AM ET at the New York City Bar Association. If you can’t attend, don’t worry – this is a hybrid event! In-person and zoom registration details can be found at https://buff.ly/474bqdp. Find all information about this year’s Joint Patent Practice Continuing Legal Education seminar at https://buff.ly/3X4xwHM Comment below if you’ll be attending!

No matter how brilliant an idea is, it won’t get far without the expertise in place to bring it to life. For most companies, that responsibility falls largely to Research and Development.

Last month, a jury awarded Midwest Energy Emissions Corp. (ME2C) over $57M in damages against several coal-refining plant operators for willfully infringing on their patented technology that captures mercury emissions from coal-fired power plants. The “willful infringement” part is important here – since the jury found that the defendants had (or should have had) knowledge of the protected technology, ME2C can now seek to triple the amount of awarded damages. Beyond protecting the commercial viability and profitability of an invention, I believe patents like the one in this case can actually serve to make a better world. ME2C’s technology involves treating coal with bromine to make it easier to capture toxic mercury emissions from coal plants. Mercury can, among other harmful outcomes, poison water supplies and make its way into our food chain. Heavy metals like mercury can lead to brain damage, reproductive problems, and cancer, to name a few dire consequences of contamination. In a way, I see ME2C’s patent as a powerful instrument in the fight to save our environment. The only way a company like theirs can continue that fight is if they can remain competitive in the marketplace, which is impossible if their inventions and company are devalued by infringement. https://lnkd.in/etyrqRFc

I want to talk about shifting the narrative from #patents functioning as defensive tools to recognizing them as the proactive drivers of value and growth they are. Do you hold patents? Do they function as obligatory line-items in your budget, or do you see them as more than that? The most successful companies think about patents as strategic investments that their competitive advantage hinges on. More than protection against theft or infringement, a patent is a fundamental asset class that can hold within it the future success of an innovation company, "just as the acorn contains the mighty oak." Read my new article about the true cost and value of a patent and join me in the discussion.

I'm excited to share that I will be presenting on the topic of USPTO Guidance on AI as an Inventor and Use of AI Tools for Submissions at the Joint Patent Practice Seminar! Join me on September 10th, 2024, at the New York City Bar Association or virtually. Here are the details: 🗓️ Date: September 10th, 2024 ⏰ Time: 8:30 AM - 5:30 PM 🌐 Location: New York City Bar Association, 42 West 44th Street, New York, NY 10036 (remote registration available via Zoom) 🔗 Registration Link: https://lnkd.in/dWm3GwdU Looking forward to an insightful discussion on this important topic!