News
Contact: Bill Rubin/Jacki Bradham, St. Croix EDC, 715-381-4383 or jacki@stcroixedc.com
October 7, 2011: For Immediate Release (see below or attached doc file).
See attached U.S. Patent & Trademark Office logo (source: Wikimedia)
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To help local businesses learn more about an important piece of federal legislation known as the America Invents Act (AIA), St. Croix EDC will host a Business Forum on AIA, set for Thursday, October 20th in the lower level training room of the River Falls City Hall, 222 Lewis Street, River Falls, Wisconsin from 7:30 a.m. (registration and networking) through 9:00 a.m. The program begins promptly at 8:00 a.m. Brian E. Szymanski, a patent attorney and Chief Legal Officer at Interfacial Solutions, LLC, (River Falls, Wisconsin) will lead the presentation.
Many key industries in the U.S., including biotechnology, medical devices, and advanced manufacturing, depend on a strong intellectual property (IP) system. The U.S. Chamber of Commerce says IP is a cornerstone of America’s economy, evidenced by more than 19 million workers employed by IP-intensive industries, generating nearly $7.7 trillion in gross output, and accounting for 60% of total U.S. exports.
AIA was signed into law last month. It is hailed as historic patent reform legislation designed to help American entrepreneurs and businesses bring their inventions to market sooner, thereby creating new businesses and jobs. AIA represents the most significant reform of the Patent Act since 1952. Although some provisions are not effective immediately, inventors and companies both need to be aware of the changes and consider the impact on their business.
The October 20th presentation will address some of the substantial changes to the U.S. Patent system under AIA, including increased funding for the U.S. Patent & Trademark Office; patent litigation reform; procedural reviews aimed at enhancing patent quality; and the establishment of a first-to-file regime for determining inventorship.
“Successful technology businesses compete on a global basis,” said William Rubin, executive director of St. Croix EDC. “Their competition is not across town or across the state — it’s likely on another continent. AIA is designed to adequately fund and staff the Patent and Trademark Office and reduce its current backlog of applications. Another reform in AIA shifts the U.S. to a first-inventor-to-file system, thereby ending expensive litigation for small businesses. AIA comes at a time when innovation can result in new job creation.”
About Brian E. Szymanski: Brian E. Szymanski is the Chief Legal Officer and a Member of Interfacial Solutions, LLC. He is also Chief Executive Officer of Interfacial Solutions IP, LLC, an intellectual property licensing entity. Brian has more than 26 years of experience in the chemical industry with a significant amount of time spent on patent procurement, intellectual property licensing and litigation.
RSVP: This event is free and open to the public, but RSVPs are appreciated. Please RSVP to Jacki Bradham of St. Croix EDC, at jacki@stcroixedc.com or (715) 381-4383.
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