Halloween is upon us. We put out the candy bowl and wait for the tiny ballerinas, ghosts, and football players to ring the doorbell and shout “trick or treat.” Despite the seemingly optional “or” language in the request, traditionally the kids will always get the treat. Law firms also prefer “treats” in the form of
Advanced Conflict Of Interest Waivers: Tricks Or Treats? Read More »
Dear Readers, Two years ago, I started IPethics & INsights as a forum for discussing my passion and interest in ethical issues for the intellectual property practitioner. I am very pleased to announce that IPethics & INsights has been nominated for inclusion in The Expert Institute’s “Best Legal Blog” contest in the category of niche and
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George Foreman pitches their services on late night television commercials. A Google search for “how to sell my invention” turns up scores of them. Many individual inventors believe they have designed the next “better mouse trap” but typically have no clue how to monetize or market their invention. That is where invention marketing or promotion
OED Cracks Down On Patent Practitioners Working With Invention Promoters Read More »
“Mr. Corleone is a man who insists on hearing bad news at once.” – Tom Hagen, The Godfather In the Summer 2016 issue of Litigation, Steven A. Weiss, Chair of the ABA’s Section of Litigation, authored an article entitled, “Eight More Tips For Practicing Law.” Although the article focuses on a number of best practices
Many IP practitioners are misinformed about the function of the USPTO’s Office of Enrollment and Discipline (OED). Here are the top 5 myths about OED ethics investigations and attorney discipline at the USPTO. Myth #1 – The OED Only Cares About Practice Before the USPTO There is a perception that the USPTO only cares about
5 Myths About USPTO Ethics Investigations and Disciplinary Complaints Read More »
On August 5, 2016, the USPTO Director issued a Final Order reversing an administrative law judge’s initial decision, which had suspended a practitioner for 18 months. The Final Order held the OED Director violated USPTO precedent and mandatory rules regarding reciprocal discipline—37 C.F.R. § 11.24. The Final Order is significant because it not only confirms the
USPTO Director Reverses ALJ In Disciplinary Case, Rules In Favor Of Attorney Read More »
“As long as the world is turning and spinning, we’re gonna be dizzy and we’re gonna make mistakes” — Mel Brooks In bar disciplinary proceedings, the word “mistake” is often used either to explain, describe, or defend against, a charge of alleged unethical behavior. But is it unethical for an attorney to make an “honest
A former senior in-house intellectual property counsel for Hunter Douglas was sentenced Wednesday to nearly six years in federal prison for his role in a fraudulent billing scheme involving fake patent searches. The former patent attorney pleaded guilty in April to federal felony charges of tax evasion and mail fraud arising from his theft of
Day of Reckoning Arrives For Thieving IP Attorney Read More »
