IN THIS NEWSLETTER:
MARCH 2 DINNER MEETING — SVIPLA March 2 Dinner Meeting Focuses on “Doctrine of Equivalents”
INVENTOR OF THE YEAR – Nominations Now Being Accepted
SAVE THE DATES: UPCOMING SVIPLA MEETINGS — Includes April 27 Meeting to be co-sponsored with the Santa Clara University High Tech Law Institute — “Supreme Court Shows Interest in IP Cases”
EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES — Licensing Industry Association Provides Advanced Licensing Programs
FOR DETAILS SEE BELOW.
THE DOCTRINE OF EQUIVALENTS RESHAPED — SVIPLA FEBRUARY/MARCH PROGRAM
Date: Thursday, March 2, 2006 (Please note: there will be two meetings in March — see “Save the Dates” below)
Location: Hyatt Regency Hotel (formerly Westin Hotel), Santa Clara (5101 Great America Parkway – east of Tasman)
Time: 6:00 p.m., cocktails and registration; 7:00 p.m., dinner and program
PRESENTATION: “What\'s Left of the Doctrine of Equivalents These Days”
SPEAKER: Ramsey Al-Salam, Partner, Perkins Coie, Seattle
Ramsey Al-Salam will talk about how court decisions in patent cases in the last few years have radically reshaped the Doctrine of Equivalents. In the process, he will touch on a number of different decisions and provide an indication of how the overall evolution of the Doctrine of Equivalents affects the daily practice of patent prosecutors and litigators.
Mr. Al-Salam has practiced IP litigation in Los Angeles and Seattle, handling a variety of cases and technologies. Currently a partner in Perkins Coie’s Seattle office, his practice focuses on intellectual property analysis and dispute resolution, with a particular emphasis in patent, trademark and trade secret litigation, arbitration and trial. He has worked with small and large clients in a variety of technologies and industries, including Advanced Digital Information Corporation, the Boeing Company, Boise Cascade, Getty Images, Nintendo, Stairmaster, and Washington Mutual Bank. He is also an adjunct professor teaching patent law at a local law school in Seattle, where his former students speak highly of his teaching abilities.
To register (in the RSVP email message, please include attendee name(s), company name, email address and any special dietary needs): CLICK HERE
If your system will not allow you to click on the registration email above, you can send your registration to: svipla@yahoo.com.
Cost: Member - $60 Non-Member - $75 Student - $25
PLEASE NOTE: The SVIPLA board of directors recently voted to increase the dinner meeting fee due to increased meeting costs. In order to pay at the member rate, please bring your dues payment to the meeting if you have not already mailed the renewal or new member application and check. The member rate will be assessed.
PLEASE DO NOT MAIL YOUR CHECK - BRING DINNER PAYMENT FOR MEMBER OR NON-MEMBER RATE TO MEETING ON MARCH 2, PAYABLE TO: SVIPLA.
DEADLINE FOR RESERVATION OR CANCELLATION: Noon, Tuesday, February 28. Please make your reservation by the deadline as there are only a few extra spaces allotted at the meeting. The venue may not be able to serve meals beyond the guaranteed number expected for the meeting.
MCLE: This activity has been approved for Minimum Continuing Legal Education credit by the State Bar of California in the amount of 1.0 hour. SVIPLA certifies that this activity conforms to the standards for approved education activities prescribed by the State Bar of California governing minimum continuing legal education.
SVIPLA 2005-2006 RENEWAL/NEW MEMBER DUES NOW DUE – NEW MEMBERSHIP YEAR BEGAN SEPTEMBER 1. (September 2005 through June 2006)
To renew membership dues or to become a member of SVIPLA, complete the application by clicking on this link: www.svipla.com/application.html. If you have trouble accessing the link, go to www.svipla.com and click on Application.
Mail your completed application with your check to the address indicated on the application.
You can bring your membership application and check to the dinner meeting on January 18.
NOMINATIONS NOW ACCEPTED FOR INVENTOR OF THE YEAR AWARD
It\'s that time again – we are seeking your submission for the 2006 SVIPLA Inventor of the Year.
DEADLINE FOR SUBMISSION IS THURSDAY, APRIL 15.
The SVIPLA Board of Directors will judge the nominees based on their contributions to the technical arts, and then celebrate the achievements of the winner by naming him or her \"Inventor of the Year.\" The award presentation will take place during our June meeting.
Please submit your nominations by replying to: svipla@yahoo.com. Please provide the nominee\'s name, place of employment (if applicable), and a brief description of the nominee\'s work. It would also be helpful if you could attach a copy of one or more of the nominee\'s patents via a web link or a PDF file. If necessary, additional information may be requested.
SAVE THE DATES — UPCOMING SVIPLA MEETINGS
March 2 — “What\'s Left of the Doctrine of Equivalents These Days.” Location: Hyatt Regency Hotel (formerly Westin Hotel), Santa Clara
March 30 — Program TBD. Location: Crowne Plaza Hotel, Palo Alto
April 27 — “Supreme Court Shows Interest in IP Cases” Panel Discussion — Co-sponsored with the Santa Clara University High Tech Law Institute. Location: Santa Clara University
LICENSING INDUSTRY ASSOCIATION PROVIDES ADVANCED LICENSING PROGRAMS
The International Licensing Industry Merchandisers’ Association (“LIMA”), the industry trade association for the merchandising and character/brand licensing industry, is sponsoring a series of two-day Advanced Licensing Programs this March in Los Angeles and New York City. For further information on LIMA and this program, visit www.licensing.org.
The Los Angeles program will be at the Los Angeles Athletic Club on March 27-28, and the New York program will be at the Williams Club on March 15-16. The programs consist of four half-day seminars on the following topics (continuing legal education credits are available for the Anatomy and Negotiation programs):
1. Valuing Licensing Properties
2. Best Practices in a Licensing Program
3. Anatomy of a License Agreement
4. Perfecting Your Negotiation Skills
When registering for the program, as a SVIPLA member you will receive the LIMA members-only discount of 15% (if you register before February 15 you receive an additional discount of 10%). Discounts are indicated on the registration form.
2005-2006 SVIPLA BOARD OF DIRECTORS
PRESIDENT
Brian Coleman, Perkins Coie LLP, bcoleman@perkinscoie.com
VICE PRESIDENT
Andre Gibbs, IBM, andgibbs@us.ibm.com
SECRETARY
Marcel Bingham, Hickman Palermo Truong & Becker LLP, mbingham@hptb-law.com
TREASURER
Sean Fitzgerald, Sean M. Fitzgerald, Attorney at Law, sean@competitivefactors.com
PROGRAM CHAIR
Glenn Von Tersch, Perkins Coie LLP, vontg@perkinscoie.com
PAST PRESIDENTS
Robert Guillot, IPLO, rguillot@iplo.com
Stephen Sullivan, Strategic Patent Group, Inc., stephen@spatents.com
Paul Hickman, Perkins Coie LLP, phickman@perkinsCoie.com