Daily Briefs

Michigan lawmaker who quit in scandal loses bid for new post


LAPEER, Mich. (AP) — An ex-Michigan lawmaker who quit office in a sex scandal last year has finished last in the Republican primary for county prosecutor’s post.

Todd Courser hoped to unseat Lapeer County Prosecutor Timothy Turkelson, but got the lowest number of votes among three GOP candidates — about 4 percent of the total. The Flint Journal reports Michael Sharkey topped Turkelson by more than 3,000 votes.

Courser says: “I think there needed to be a change in that office. I congratulate Mike Sharkey on his win.”

Courser, who faces charges in the scandal, resigned from the Michigan House right before it voted to expel fellow GOP Rep. Cindy Gamrat. He’s accused of soliciting an aide to send a phony email to cover up an affair with Gamrat.

Courser denies criminal wrongdoing.

 

Attorney leads webinar on patent disclosure for prosecution before EPO
 

Linda Nattler, an IP attorney with the Ann Arbor office of Brinks Gilson & Lione, conducted a webinar on June 28 entitled Preparing a Patent Disclosure for Efficient and Effective Prosecution Before the European Patent Office (EPO). The webinar launched the firm’s new series, “Transatlantic Synergy: Drafting Patent Applications to Comply with both the USPTO and the EPO Practice.”

Patent applications drafted outside of Europe are sometimes difficult to prosecute before the EPO because claim amendments must pass a much stricter disclosure standard than in many other countries. Even if claims result in a granted patent, opposition proceedings before the EPO may lead to a revocation of the patent if claim amendments are held to be insufficiently disclosed in the description.

In the webinar, Nattler provided insight into the European disclosure requirements for claim amendments. She also noted strategies for drafting a patent disclosure that allows for a broad variety of claims amendments that will withstand scrutiny before and after grant.

A German native, Nattler focuses her intellectual property law practice on patent prosecution and IP portfolio management, with a particular emphasis on the areas of mechanics, electronics, hydraulics and computerized processes. Prior to joining Brinks, Nattler gathered extensive experience in U.S., European and German patent prosecution. While employed in Europe, she was admitted to practice before the European Patent Office. Nattler attended Thomas Cooley Law School on a full academic scholarship and graduated magna cum laude. She holds an undergraduate degree in physics from Universität Bayreuth in Germany.

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