Time: Friday, May 11, 2007 (10:30am-11:15am)
Location: Theatre
Speaker: Jeffrey Berkowitz (Finnegan Henderson)
Title: Patent Reform: How you can fight back!
Abstract:
Mr. Berkowitz will discuss recent patent reform efforts in the United States. If you are tired of hearing about the U.S. patent office issuing what you think are "absurd patents," you can learn about the different ways to fight back. He will provide an overview of the various patent office initiatives to improve patent quality, as well as the available processes and procedures for challenging patents. Mr. Berkowitz will also outline recent cases that may prove to be extremely helpful in the fight against the so-called "patent troll."
Biographical Information:
Jeffrey A. Berkowitz heads the Electrical and Computer Technology Practice Group of U.S. intellectual property law firm Finnegan, Henderson, Farabow, Garrett & Dunner, LLP. Mr. Berkowitz specializes in patent prosecution, client counseling, and litigation related to business method and software-related inventions. He has been involved in all aspects of litigation; provided opinions on patentability, infringement, and validity of patents; and drafted or overseen the drafting of hundreds of patent applications for electrical, electronics, telecommunications, and software-based technologies.
Mr. Berkowitz has written and spoken extensively on business method and software-related patents, e-commerce, and new developments in U.S. patent law. He has chaired and lectured for numerous legal, industry, and academic organizations, including EuroForum, IBC, the Practicing Law Institute, the Patent Resources Group, and the University of Washington Law School.
Prior to graduating from law school, Mr. Berkowitz was a computer programmer with IBM, where he also taught employees how to operate microcomputers and a variety of application programs designed for microcomputers. While in law school, Mr. Berkowitz was the managing editor of the Law Review and received several American Jurisprudence Awards. He has a B.A. in Computer Science from Rutgers University.
