UPCOMING PATENT SEMINARS: There are two upcoming events on patent prosecution and litigation worth attending in Seattle and Philadelphia:

2nd Annual Advanced Workshop on Managing Patent Prosecution and Litigation From the Inception of an Invention to Enforcement

November 16, 2005 - Seattle, Washington (Renaissance Seattle Hotel)

Topics covered in this workshop include:

• Invention process roles for in-house counsel
• Streamlining the patent application process
• Special issues related to software and biotechnology patents
• Maximizing the value of a patent portfolio
• Effectively dealing with discovery and preservation of evidence, and
• The key elements of litigation for in-house counsel, outside patent prosecution counsel, and outside litigation counsel

Advanced Workshop on the Best Opening Moves in Patent Disputes - Pre & Early Stage Patent Litigation: Srategies to put you in a winning position

December 7, 2005 - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (Loews Philadelphia Hotel)

Topics covered in this workshop include:

• Strategies for responding to the warning letter
• Obtaining opinion of counsel letter and the impact of Knorr-Bremse
• Design-around strategies
• New procedures on reexamination
• How litigation strategies may be affected under new FTC proposals and proposed legislation in the House
• Updates on choice of forum issues
• Procedures to focus and resolve claim construction issues
• Planning strategies for selecting expert witnesses
• Managing litigation counsel for cost-efficient work
• When and how to use mediation to settle patent disputes

Speakers for both workshops include attorneys from prominent law firms and IP counsel from some of the largest US corporations. Definitely worth checking out if you get the chance.