International lineup of speakers to ­headline IP law conference

Government officials from the White House Office of Management and Budget and the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, along with officials from nations around the world, will be among speakers discussing patent, trademark and copyright issues at the American Bar Association Section of Intellectual Property Law’s 31st Annual Intellectual Property Law Conference April 6-8 in Bethesda, Md.

The three-day conference will feature keynote speakers:

Brian J. King, global officer, Marriott Signature Brands & Global Sales in Bethesda, Md., on Thursday from noon to 1:30 p.m. and;

Daniel H. Marti, U.S. intellectual property enforcement coordinator, White House Office of Management and Budget, Washington, D.C., on Friday from noon to 1:30 p.m.

Program highlights include:

Wednesday, April 6

 “Ask the Office: Hot Topics from the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office” — Hear from key leaders of the United States Patent and Trademark Office — Charles Eloshway, Andrew Faile, Valencia Martin-Wallace and Mark Powell — as they discuss the latest developments of the USPTO.

“Social Media and Content Licensing” — Negotiating comprehensive, multichannel, social media licenses that include technology, brands and original or third-party content has never been more challenging in this new digital world. This program will cover and discuss issues from both licensor and licensee perspectives on crucial assets, terms and conditions in social media license agreements as well as the challenges associated with negotiating certain provisions regarding oversight and use of social media content.

“Roundtable: Ethics in Intellectual Property Law” — Panelists will discuss ethical issues in intellectual property law, followed by small group discussions of scenarios.

Thursday, April 7

“The Post-Alice Landscape” — The U.S. Supreme Court essentially left the lower federal courts to sort out what is patentable subject matter after Alice Corp. v. CLS Bank in 2014. This panel will include corporate counsel and other experts who will review the fallout, including a discussion of the trail of case law from the Federal Circuit through the District Courts and the Patent Trial and Appeal Board, as well as USPTO guidance.

“The Internet of Things (IoT)” — Intriguing new technologies and art forms are being brought into the mainstream marketplace at a rapid pace, including live-streaming apps, drones, wearable devices, autonomous vehicles, augmented reality and 3D printing. This program will address a spectrum of issues ranging from copyright to ownership to data security to privacy/individual autonomy to government regulation/oversight — issues that developers and end-users should consider and will likely encounter going forward as these new technologies continue to expand into the processes of business and the everyday lives of typical consumers.

“European Patent Prayers Answered?” — Radical change will come in 2017 with the launch of the new European “patent package,” which will eliminate litigation of European patents on a country-by-country basis. Instead, Europe’s new Unified Patent Court will be a pan-European court that will be empowered to award damages and injunctions across a $500 million market – changes that will have a profound impact on the operations of U.S. business with European interests. This program will include an explanation of the new Unified Court, the retrospective effect and why you may need to act now and prosecution and licensing decisions in the new “unitary” era.

Friday, April 8

“What is the Future of Television?” — This program will explore current changes in this evolving medium, including distribution of short form and serial programming that are occurring at a rapid speed. Discussion will include whether copyright law is keeping pace, both in terms of encouraging new distribution methods and protecting the incentives of copyright holders to create new content.

“Challenging Issues in the Protection of Fashion Designs” — Panelists will explore the challenges surrounding intellectual property protection for apparel designs, including problems associated with copyright law’s useful article doctrine and with securing trade dress protection. The panel will also discuss whether current U.S. intellectual property laws are sufficient to provide designers with adequate protection.

“Pure Bologna or Pure Baloney” – This session will present an overview of global protection for geographic indications; the interplay between geographic indications and international trade agreements, including the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) will be presented, including a discussion of emerging issues in geographic indications and strategies for “Old World” and “New World” brand owners.