Russell Slifer Sworn in as New USPTO Deputy Director

Russell Slifer, the new USPTO Deputy Director, earlier today at the Patent Quality Summit.

Moments ago USPTO Director Michelle Lee substantively kicked off the much anticipated Patent Quality Summit, which is taking place today and tomorrow on the main campus in Alexandria, Virginia, in the Madison Building.

The first news of the day did not deal with patent quality, but rather with a personnel matter. Director Lee announced that earlier this morning she swore in Russ Slifer to serve as the new Deputy Director of the USPTO. Slifer had been the Director of the USPTO Rocky Mountain Regional Office. He practiced intellectual property law for 20 years, serving for the last 8 years of his private sector practice as the Chief Patent Counsel for Micron Technology in Boise, Idaho. Previously Slifer was a design engineer for Honeywell and spent more than nine years in private practice in Minnesota representing high technology clients, including individual inventors, universities, and Fortune 100 companies build patent portfolios to protect their innovations.

“Russell has an impressive track record of success across several disciplines and will be a tremendous asset to the USPTO,” said Secretary Pritzker. “His leadership will be instrumental in the USPTO’s efforts to foster economic growth and promote American innovation by reducing the patent application backlog and enhancing patent and trademark quality. I look forward to working with Russell in his new role, along with Director Lee and the rest of the USPTO team.”

“Russ brings an impressive resume to the job, having practiced IP law for the last 20 years and served superbly as the first director of our Denver regional office, which opened for business last summer,” Lee said, introducing Slifer. “He is exactly the kind of leader who will bring immense value to my team, and I couldn’t be happier to have him on board.”

More to come from the Patent Quality Summit later in the day.

Update 1 – March 25, 2015, at 10:10am ET to add quote from Director Lee.

Update 2 – March 25, 2015, at 10:22am ET to add quote from Secretary Pritzker.

Gene Quinn Gene Quinn is a patent attorney and a leading commentator on patent law and innovation policy. Mr. Quinn has twice been named one of the top 50 most influential people [...see more]

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2 comments so far.

Moocow
March 25, 2015 09:11 pm
Well, at least Kappos was nice enough to name deputies from the life sciences, to complement his EE background. Atmospherics matter, so that was a nice touch. I guess we’re giving up all pretense now, whatever. Silicon Valley will be pleased I’m sure. Congrats Russ.
Moshe
March 25, 2015 07:29 pm
I am sure he’s extremely competent but the question is — yet ANOTHER CPF (Coalition for Patent “Fairness”) alum in senior USPTO management?? Methinks there is a pattern here.