Scheduling

PatentLawPic938I don’t actually carry a calandar any more… But if I did carry a calendar, it would include the following three upcoming events where I will be speaking: 

  • Washington University Law School – local IP professionals are welcome for this free noon-time event on March 4, 2010, 12:00 noon – 1:00 pm.
  • IP Law Summit for Corporate IP Counsel in Miami at the Doral Resort on March 25–27, 2010 (This conference is virtually free for senior in-house IP counsel, but quite expensive for attorneys at law firms).
  • Corporate IP Counsel Summit in New York City at the Helmsley Hotel on April 27–28, 2010 (Use code FCZ835 when registering for a $500 discount).

22 thoughts on “Scheduling

  1. 22

    “a high fee” is an understatement. Lets cut the crap — it costs $38,000 for two people from a firm to attend this crazy outing.

    Dennis — nice to finally see the disclosure (albeit a partial one).

  2. 21

    Jake, he’s a professor now. Missing meetings and showing up all late and frazzles is part of the accepted modus operandi, especially for a professor as geeked out as an engineer/JD.

  3. 20

    What does “I don’t carry a calendar” mean? Does that mean you don’t carry a physical calendar (e.g., a planner/notebook), or does that mean that you simply don’t use any calendar whatsoever (e.g., MS Outlook)? If the latter, you must have a ridiculously good memory, or maybe you just miss a lot of meetings/events.

  4. 19

    Dennis,

    Isn’t it interesting to see how a post about your speaking schedule has morphed into a discussion about design patents? To tie the two together, maybe you can expound on your talk a couple of weeks ago at the Univ. of Texas IP Symposium: “The Dramatically Increasing Role of Design Patents”. (love it!).

    p.s. how can I get a transcript?

  5. 18

    but all shape changes, even minor one, change how they perform, sometimes dramatically.

    Obviously the shape has a function. The shape of most things has a function, but things are also made to look pretty. Imagine a design on a sofa, or a clasp for a briefcase. Not so offensive to an engineer, are they?

    The point of the “functional” restriction is not to prevent you from getting a design on what happens to be a useful article. It’s so you can’t get design protection on the only way of doing something, because then you’d effectively be getting a market monopoly without going through the utility patent system.

    Considering that people are still filing designs on the outsides of airplanes 60+ years later, I don’t think all the possibilities have been covered yet.

  6. 17

    “There are a whole lot of different ways you can make a plane look, even within the constraints of enabling the plane to fly”

    “Enabled” yes, but all shape changes, even minor one, change how they perform, sometimes dramatically.

  7. 16

    I have seen companies file design patents on pallets for use in storing goods. The fact is that the USPTO really doesn’t care if the design is functional or not, they will just continue to collect the $220 filing fee and $440 issue fee. Design patents are nothing more than a registration system.

  8. 15

    Every surface is functional

    There are a whole lot of different ways you can make a plane look, even within the constraints of enabling the plane to fly. I think it could be argued quite convincingly that there’s an ornamental aspect.

  9. 12

    DC,

    I like your illustration – curious which patent. With such a hectic travel schedule, you should seriously consider flying yourself general aviation.

  10. 11

    Dennis, I’m not denying the importance of face time, and you’ve got a great pitch there. Would you like to talk to our group chair on why he should send me to Miami for a long weekend?

    I kid. It’s just not a reality for most of us, regardless of the potential for connections and face time.

    PS: I’m tired of high quality and low cost (i.e., cut associate time). Unpaid/uncredited hours can bite me.

  11. 8

    I do carry a calander(sic) and I usually don’t engage in such shameless self promotion. At least not so flagrantly and in writing.

    Have you been invited to speak at three conferences over the next two months, MrModesty? If so, I’m sure the readers at Patently-O would be interested to hear about them.

  12. 7

    Bad Joke — The Miami IP Law Summit has an interesting and unique format that gives law-firms more face-time with in house counsel than does any other event that I have seen. The conference organizers (a for-profit corporation) take advantage of that reality by charging a high fee.

    Right now, in house counsel are feeling an enormous pressure to cut-costs and this type of face-to-face meeting might be enough to compel a switch to a low-cost (but high-quality) firm.

  13. 6

    NY/NJ Patent Attorney. I very much support NAPP and the work that the organization does. I am hoping to speak at the annual NAPP meeting, but have not yet committed because of a potential timing conflict.

  14. 5

    Cost can be justified for a given program depending on the potential contacts. What’ll get you in trouble is proposing that the firm pay your way to a long weekend in Miami in March. The phrase “like a lead balloon” comes to mind.

  15. 3

    “This conference is […] very expensive for attorneys at law firms”

    This is not the best way to self-promote.

  16. 2

    I do carry a calander(sic) and I usually don’t engage in such shameless self promotion. At least not so flagrantly and in writing.

    Sheesh.

  17. 1

    I’m going to ask for approval for outside CLE expenses for the IP Law Summit. Bwhahahahahahaha!

    Nevermind. I think I’ll just keep my job.

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