Articles by Renee C. Quinn on IPWatchdog.com

Written by Renee C. Quinn, B.S., M.B.A. Chief Operating Officer, IPWatchdog, Inc. Send Renee an E-mail

The latest articles written by Renee C. Quinn.

• How Your Telephone System Impacts Your Brand January 28, 2012

  If you are a small business owner, you are located in a small personal office or you work from home, you probably use either a cell phone or personal landline as your business phone. When you call a potential client, what shows up on their called ID? What do potential clients hear when they call and want to leave you a voicemail? What if they simply want to know your hours of operation or fax number? You may not realize this but your telephone system’s features, including your caller ID display and voicemail greeting, have a major impact on how others see your brand.

• 5 Simple Steps to Building A Personal Brand Using Social Media January 17, 2012

  Just like people, all brands have their own personality. Brand personality is defined as a set of human characteristics that are associated with a brand name and is determined by consumer interactions with your brand. It is essentially, how your brand behaves in the public light. Your brand personality is determined mainly by your own personality and identity. There are many influences on brand personality including profession, industry, age, gender and emotional characteristics, to name a few. But your brand personality should also reflect what you want others to think of when they hear your name.

• Teenage Inventor Rebecca Hyndman Discusses Patents, Inventing, High School and President Obama January 14, 2012

  On September 17, 2011, I attended the Signing of the America Invents Act at Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology. A young lady named Rebecca Hyndman, who is a senior at the high school, introduced President Obama, which took place immediately prior to his signing the Act into law. Rebecca was chosen for this honor because at the age of just 14 she acquired a patent for her own innovation. Recently, I ran into her father, Kelly Hyndman, at another IP event. While discussing the AIA signing ceremony, I asked Mr. Hyndman if he would mind my interviewing his daughter for our blog. With his blessing I conducted the following Interview.

• Top 10 Social Networking Resolutions for Business in 2012 December 30, 2011

  One of the best things about social media is that you don't need to have a big marketing budget to benefit from the different ways that social media can propel your business, but you do need to be committed and have a strategy. If you are not going to hire a consultant to assist you then you are going to need to invest the time to do things yourself, which is fine so long as you actually do it! Here is a list of “Social Media Resolutions” that you should consider implementing in your 2012 Marketing and Brand Building Social Media campaigns.

• 14 Ways to Exploit the Power of Social Media for Business December 27, 2011

  Thanks to social media everyone has the ability to connect with like-minded individuals all over the world. But if you want to exploit social media you need to have an effective strategy. It doesn't take an enormous amount of time each day. In fact with only 15 minutes a day, you can really make quite an impact. But like everything you hope to succeed with in life it does take planning and forethought. Here are suggestions on how you might be able to use social media to develop your brand, monitor quality, engage customers, expand upon ideas and connect with others within your industry.

• Merry Christmas from IPWatchdog December 24, 2011

  The holiday season is about having fun, spreading cheer and spending time with family and friends. So in that spirit we put together a few video Christmas cards for our readers. From our family to yours - Merry Christmas! Thank you for reading IPWatchdog.com!

• The Social Media Diva to Have an Anterior Cervical Discectomy December 13, 2011

  After meeting with my doctor, discussing the results of my tests, reading through all of the documentation and talking to my mother who had a similar surgery in 2000, I realized that there have been so many medical breakthroughs over the years. These medical breakthroughs make surgeries like this possible, and in many cases with far better outcomes. So I thought I would write about some of those revolutionary technologies and the Hall of Fame inventors who were responsible for them.

• Top 5 Twitter Myths Busted: Twitter Demystified November 25, 2011

  Once you understand what to tweet, how to tweet and how much to tweet, you are quickly able to make excellent connections, increase your website statistics and search engine ranking, find some of your best brand advocates, and benefit quickly and efficiently from word of mouth marketing. In fact, next to YouTube, micro-blogging on Twitter is one of the quickest ways for information about you, your brand, your business, your products and your services to go viral. Before one can feel comfortable on Twitter, they must first understand the purpose of Twitter, realize the potential of Twitter and learn how they can use Twitter to meet their overall marketing objectives. Following, I will discuss and demystify 5 of the top myths about Twitter use for business and give you pointers on how you can get the most out of your Twitter account.

• Top 5 Myths About Social Media for Business November 19, 2011

  Social media is quickly become THE way to market your business. In the US, more than two thirds of all adults who are active online are also actively using social media today, However, there is still a whopping 57% of businesses who, for one reason or another do not understand the real impact that social media can have on their businesses. Gaining new and retaining old customers, sharing your products and services to a broader audience and giving your customers a voice, are just a few of the many benefits that using social media can bring to your business. There are many myths and misconceptions that keep business owners and marketers from reaping the benefits that social media. If you are one of these businesses, let me “set you free” to explore all that social media has to offer.

• IPWatchdog Launches its JobOrtunities™ Help Wanted Section November 13, 2011

  You may have noticed that there is a new addition to IPWatchdog's extensive arsenal of information available to IP professionals, employees and employers alike. This week IPWatchdog.com has launched its newest brand, the JobOrtunities™ Help Wanted Section; which will feature available career opportunities within the IP world.

• Starbucks and Other Popular Restaurants Go Social November 2, 2011

  It seems that no matter where you go these days, the likelihood is high that you will see a "Free Wi-Fi" sticker on the front door of the establishment. Whether you are going for coffee, meeting a colleague for lunch, stopping at a rest stop or waiting for an airplane, you can pretty much bet that you will be able to check your email and surf the web while you are there. It is clear that most restaurants are starting to realize the power and potential of social media, not only for the use of their clientele but also in getting their message out in new and innovative ways. They are seeing that building larger online communities equates to higher numbers of restaurant sales. For this reason, media outlet Nation's Restaurant News teamed up with an analytics and digital branding firm, DigitalCoCo to create the Restaurant Social Media Index (RSMI) highlighting the industry's Top 100.

• An Apple History: Remembering Apple CEO Steve Jobs October 9, 2011

  Steve Jobs, the visionary founder and leader of Apple Computer Corporation, died Wednesday, October 5, 2011 at the age of 56 after an 8-year battle with a rare form of pancreatic cancer. Jobs, who is sometimes referred to as the father of personal computing, was the mastermind behind Apple's Computers, iPods, iPhones, iMacs and iPad's and is seen by many as a man who pioneered the personal computing industry and literally changed the way we live our lives every day. In celebration of his life and his accomplishments over the years, the following is a timeline of Jobs' history, and the history of Apple, beginning in 1972 when he graduated from High School in Palo Alto, CA, and focusing on the major events in a memorable life.

• AIPF 2011 Annual Meeting: A Recap of the Event September 30, 2011

  Last week the Association for Intellectual Property Firms (AIPF) held its 2011 Annual Meeting at the W Chicago City Center Hotel. The theme for this years event was "Enhancing IP Rights in a Time of Erosion." The program covered topics and featured and a variety of professionals from across the IP spectrum and beyond, including Philip S Johnson, Chief IP Counsel for Johnson & Johnson, Kirk Goodwin, Senior Counsel for Whirlpool, Bruce Hendricks, Associate GC for The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company and of course, yours truly, The Social Media Diva of IPWatchdog.com. You could say the program technically started Sunday evening when the Board of Directors and Speakers got together at Mike Ditka's in Chicago. The food and service were amazing, the company was friendly and conversations were stimulating. The only thing that could have made the night better was being able to stay and watch some football after the meeting. It was, after all, a sports bar. But I digress.

• How Industry Giants Like Apple, Inc & Others Use Social Media September 24, 2011

  Those of you who follow IPWatchdog, know that my passion is Brand Development, Brand Building, and Online Marketing using social media. I try to educate our readers on how they can use social media for their businesses regardless of size. However, I decided to take a different approach and compare the social media campaigns of Apple, Inc, Coca Cola, Nike and Dell Computers. Let's take a look at how these four industry giants use social media today.

• The Bill is Signed: President Obama Signs America Invents Act September 17, 2011

  President Obama started by commending the students of what he called "One of the best high schools in the country." He mentioned that; "We have an exhibit of some of the projects that you guys are doing, including the fist high school student satellite, a wheel chair controlled by brain waves, robotics and more. He made the crowd smile when he jokingly said; "I am hoping that I will learn something just by being close to you; through osmosis. I already feel smart just standing here."

• Having a Website is Essential for Business August 24, 2011

  How often do you use a telephone book to search for a business of interest? Phonebook? What’s a phonebook, right? How often do you search in the online yellow pages for a particular business? Probably anytime you want to know how to contact a company of interest. And how often do you find that the business of interest does not have a website? How often do members of the business community hand you a business card with an email address @yahoo.com or the like? In today’s business world it is amazing to see just how many businesses still do not have a web presence.

• Turning Your Small Business Into Big Business August 17, 2011

  Having a small business means having many challenges, especially in the earliest phases of development. Faced with challenges such as letting people know about your new business, establishing and augmenting your brand, creating a website, designing logos, developing and implementing marketing initiatives, creating and printing real world marketing materials, procuring new clients and customers, building and maintaining a blog, initiating and executing a social media campaign, acquiring followers within your social media platforms, securing office space at a reasonable cost, book keeping and everything else that must be done during the start-up process. This seemingly endless list of tasks seems to imply that starting a new business will most certainly be a stressful and very expensive endeavor. But starting and growing a small business, does not have to cost you an arm and a leg nor does having a small business mean that your business has to look “Small.”

• Making Small Business Look Bigger August 6, 2011

  There are many ways to enhance your small business, making it look bigger, at relatively inexpensive costs. Everyone has to start somewhere, but think about things from the customer's perspective. Think about a time when you were searching for businesses that you wanted to work with for personal use. Did you choose the smallest entity you could find, one that did not have a website or even have a business card to give you? Probably not! Chances are you decided to look a little further to find someone you felt was more "experienced" in their field. If that's something you've done, then chances are your small business may loose customers for the same reason. Starting a new business can be a very expensive venture. Following are some fairly inexpensive suggestions that you can execute in order to make your small business look more like an established corporate entity.

• Will Google+ Be the Next Facebook? July 17, 2011

  Google, which is undoubtedly the most popular website in the world seems to constantly be challenging the domination of the second-most popular website, Facebook, which is the world’s largest online social network that currently boasts 750 million users. For this reason, Google has been trying to create a social platform of it’s own to rival the social media giant, not just once, but now for the fifth time. First there was Orkut, which was launched one month before Facebook in January of 2004, followed by Jaiku, which was founded in February of 2006, followed next by Wave which was released in September 2009 and is no longer being developed as a stand alone product, followed next by Buzz which was launched in February of 2010. But Google has not given up and last month unveiled its Google+ program as the newest attempt to trump Facebook’s popularity.

• Facebook Fan Pages Vs. Groups, Which is Best for Your Business? July 14, 2011

  You have a business, a website and a traditional marketing strategy. But now you have decide to give social media a try. You feel that Facebook would be a good place for you to reach many potential customers within your target audience. But when you go onto Facebook you notice that there are both fan pages and groups available for use by businesses. But how do you decide which is best for your business? In order to answer this question, you must first know what each each, what they offer and what the difference are between the two.

• Facebook Facial Recognition Tool Poses New Security Threats June 27, 2011

  Although Facebook originally discussed the use of facial recognition technology in a small blog post on the site back in December, it was listed as unavailable until earlier this month. The social media giant released its new Autotag facial-recognition tool that will allow users to autotag photos of their friends based on what they look like. But what was most odd about this release is that they did so quietly and under the radar with little thought to the risks that could be associated with the tool. Rather than having the ability to opt-in to this new tool, you have to go into your settings and opt-out. With more than 500 million active users, even if you choose not to be tagged in photos, it is inevitable that you and perhaps even your small children are being tagged by others without your knowledge.

• With Social Media, YOU Are Your Brand June 24, 2011

  With social media, You Are Your Brand. But what exactly does that mean? If you are part of a larger firm or business, you may be using social media to promote the products and services your company/firm offers, but you are doing so as an individual. Social media is about sharing content and building relationships. The general voice of your company/firm would not work in social media, nor in face to face networking for that matter, without each individual representative of the company displaying their own personalities and adding unique insight which ultimately is what attracts new, potential clients.

• LinkedIn IPO Huge Success, Valuation of $8.79 Billion May 22, 2011

  LinkedIn announced this week that the professional social networking giant is now valued at $8.79 Billion, roughly 38 times sales figures reported in 2010, after it's first day as a publicly traded company on May 18. This may be hard to believe by many because LinkedIn has never reported being profitable, nor have they ever made more than $250 million in any one year. However, within minutes of LinkedIn initially offering 7.84 million shares priced at $45, the shares doubled in price and at one point in the day LinkedIn's Initial Public Offering (IPO) peaked in excess of $122 per share.

• Social Media Pitfalls - Common Yet Avoidable Mistakes May 14, 2011

  Social media has taken the world by storm. Everyone from college students, to politicians, to news media outlets, to business professionals, to small and big businesses, to musicians and artists and other individual people both young and old have jumped on the social media bandwagon. When creating a marketing campaign, no matter what the business is, social media is an obvious choice for those who wish to expand their reach beyond that of the local phone book. Be that as it may, given that social media is still quite new to the business arena, there are still so many opportunities missed because of common yet avoidable mistakes.

• Common Marketing Mistakes Attorneys Make, Part Deux April 24, 2011

  Can you honestly say that your firm has more business than it can handle? I would venture a guess that no, it does not. Marketing is so often put on the back burner to everything else that needs to be done. This is especially the case for firms that need to cut their budget. If you cut marketing to save funds in your budget, you will likely need to cut more of your budget down the line. Even if the firm’s table is quite full right now, you must always seek to add new clients to make up for yearly attrition.

• Common Marketing Mistakes Attorneys Make April 20, 2011

  In other words, simply making a sale does not mean you are marketing your products and services effectively. Effective marketing is the process by which you promote your firm through the sharing of information with prospective clients about what you have to offer, with the ultimate goal being that a sale is made. Without an effective marketing strategy, you are far less likely to facilitate the sale.

• Attorney Marketing and Brand Building 101 March 30, 2011

  Brand building seems like a rather easy task for companies that offer tangible products, but as attorneys, all you have to sell is your time, so things can be a little bit different. You need to also factor in that in many, if not most, instances clients feel they are represented by an individual. Sure, the firm identity is important, but the relationship is with the individual. Thus, for attorneys it is especially important to always keep in mind that You Are Your Brand! As with any industry, you cannot simply create some ads, a website and some social media profile pages and expect people to come to you. Rather, clear goals need to be outlined and a strategy for reaching those goals should be mapped out.

• USPTO Hosts Women's Entrepreneurship Symposium March 17, 2011

  On Friday March 11, 2011, I attended the Women’s Entrepreneurship Symposium in honor of Women’s History Month at the United States Patent and Trademark Office. The program was co-sponsored by the US Women’s Chamber of Commerce and focused on women entrepreneurs, the importance of intellectual property protection for their innovations, how to leverage economic opportunities for women-owned businesses and what resources are available exclusively for women-owned small businesses. The topics discussed focused solely on American business.

• The 2011 Global Patent and IP Trends Indicator March 1, 2011

  The survey assesses the impact of the U.S. economy on global IP strategies for 2011, and is available for free to anyone interested in the results. The survey includes a number of interesting findings, including among these are that 88% of respondents say they were in favor of a European Wide Patent System (which isn't surprising really), only 19% of respondents said they filed fewer patent application in 2010 (which probably contradicts the convention wisdom of many) and 46% of respondents brought work in house in 2010 (which might not bode well for firms heavily leveraged on work from large corporations).

• The Power of Branding Through Catchy Advertising, GEICO Commercials February 24, 2011

  Brand building can be defined as 'Building the perceptions of your target audience.' Those who work in marketing usually say that in order to really build your brand you need to be consistent in your marketing campaigns. Consistency and repetition are a sure way to ingrain your message into the minds of those you are trying to reach by creating a focused brand image. However, Geico, has shown that, when done right, you can break the widely accepted and customary brand building “rules” often having numerous different iconic ad campaigns running at once. So today I'd like to discuss 5 of the more memorable GEICO ad campaigns beginning with the GEICO Gecko® through the most recently added Mike McGlone Commercials and analyze what your business can learn from these ad campaigns.

• Top 10 Mistakes Businesses Make with Social Media February 18, 2011

  Social Media has quickly become the fastest growing online phenomenon. Originally Social networking was for college students and artists and musicians, but increasingly businesses of all sizes have jumped on the Social Media bus. Small, medium and large sized business, retail storeowners, politicians, journalistic publications, law firms, chain stores, restaurants and businesses from nearly every industry have chimed in. Whether you have a brick and mortar retail location or are solely online, Social Media can help. But as with any business strategy one can partake in, all of your efforts including, time and money are wasted if you do not know what mistakes you should avoid in order to get the most out of your online efforts.

• Congress Meets the New Media: How Facebook, Twitter & Social Media are Changing Communications February 8, 2011

  Over the last two election cycles it has become clear how important it is to have a social media strategy. President Obama masterfully used various Internet and social media communications to ride a wave into office, leaving the Republicans well behind. In the 2010 election cycle the Democrats tended to do quite well on Facebook, but the Republicans gained momentum and did much better on Twitter and enjoyed greater overall "digital energy," at least according to research conducted by the EmergingMedia Research Council. It is safe to assume that Members of Congress are getting more involved with Social Media, and that trend should only continue to grow in coming years.

• Twelve Key Components to Building a Successful Website February 3, 2011

  About ten months ago I wrote, The Importance of Having a Web Presence where I discussed why you should have a website, where you can buy your domain name and how to find webhosting services. No matter what type of business you have, whether it be a brick and mortar retail location, a consulting business, a law firm or any other type of business, large or small, you need to have a company website if you are to have any real chance of keeping up with the competition. But what makes a successful website? How can you get consumers past the home page? What do you feature on your website? How do you set it up? Whether you are starting from scratch or simply trying to improve the website that you already have, there are key components that every website should possess, eleven of which I will share with you today.

• LinkedIn Continues to Add New Ways to Customize Profiles January 31, 2011

  When asked to name the Social Media Site most widely used by the business community, (in your opinion), I would venture a guess that more often than not people think of LinkedIn. LinkedIn is one of the few non industry specific Social Media venues that is widely utilized by professionals. But there is so much more to LinkedIn than just housing your resume. Since I wrote my series about LinkedIn there has been new capabilities that have emerged and new ways to customize your LinkedIn Profile. You can now even add a list of patents!

• Mobile Business Tools for Apple iPad, iPhone & iPod, Pt. 3 January 21, 2011

  My brother-in-law has been a lover of all things Apple for as long as I can remember. In fact, on the first day the iPad was released, he waited in line several hours just to be one of the first people to get one. Every time I would complain about my PC and the issues I was having, he'd inevitably say, "Gotta get a MAC." First, we got our iPhones. Next, after many hours and probably even days of lost work time, we finally broke down and bought my iMac. And most recently, I received my beloved iPad as a gift, which I quickly realized and am still learning just how essential this tool has become to my business. In fact, with all of the applications available for my iPad, it has replaced my PC laptop. I've written articles on Mobile Business and Mobile Social Media apps you can download to your iPhone, iPad and iPod Touch to take your business on-the-go. Following is the next installment of my business apps series that can help you take your business on the road with you, make your businesses more efficient and Make Small Businesses Look Bigger.

• Mobile Business Tools for Apple iPad, iPhone & iPod, Pt. 2 January 11, 2011

  In early September of 2010, I was given my new favorite toy, an Apple iPad, as a gift. I originally used the iPad to read books, play games and to surf the Internet. However, I have discovered that the iPad is a fantastic business tool as well. Whenever I am away from my office, I take my iPad with me. With the right applications, the iPad has virtually replaced my laptop.

• The Envelope Please: ABA Top 100 Blawg Results Announced January 4, 2011

  On November 30th, 2010, the Editors of the ABA Journal had announced the selection of the top 100 best law blogs by lawyers, for lawyers. Readers were then given one full month to vote for their favorite blogs. Each individual could vote for more than one blog in any category, but could only vote once per blog. Now the voting has ended and the ABA Journal has announced the winners of the Fourth Annual ABA Journal Blawg 100, which recognizes the best legal blogs for 2010. So without further ado, here are the overall results of the 2010 ABA Journal Blawg 100 contest!

• IPWatchdog 2010: ABA Blawg Tops + Over 2 Million Visits January 3, 2011

  I am pleased to announce that IPWatchdog.com was selected by the readers of the ABA Journal as their favorite IP Law blog for 2010 ABA. I am also pleased to announce that for 2010 we had over 2,000,000 visits, delivered nearly 11.8 million pages, our homepage was viewed 3.06 million times and we averaged over 67,000 unique monthly visitors! Thanks to all our readers for coming back day after day, and thanks to all of our Guest Contributors!

• Top 10 Social Networking Resolutions for Business in 2011 December 26, 2010

  Chances are you have already put some thought into Social media at some point over the course of 2010. And chances are you or your company is currently finalizing your advertising and marketing budgets for 2011. But how many have included Social Media as a part of your marketing and advertising campaign? Are you are Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Plaxo, IP Alley and other social media sites pertinent to your industry or specialty with in your field? Those you have created profiles on different sites, how active are you in your social media marketing campaigns? How often do you update your work experience and other information? How often do you post content on your profile. How often do you tweet? This are all things you can and should do. And since we are nearing the end of 2010, I thought I would share with you a a list of "Social Media Resolutions" that you should add to your 2011 Marketing and brand building campaign.

• Reduced Sponsorship and Advertising Rates for December 2010 December 13, 2010

  As we have seen a drastic increase in our readership over the last few years, IPWatchdog.com has become a full-time endeavor, and as such we are actively seeking advertiser and sponsor partners who can use the visibility we can provide. This will also provide us the ability to do more of what we are already doing, which we seem to have a knack for. So in the spirit of the holidays we thought we'd offer discounted rates good for advertising or sponsorship campaigns initiated or continued during December 2010.

• Bayh-Dole Turns 30, AUTM Celebrates Innovation with Awards December 2, 2010

  Betsy de Parry spoke of how the Bayh-Dole act affected her personally by lending time and resources to university discoveries that created the life saving treatment that has led her to 8 years of being cancer free. de Parry brought an emotional and very human element to the celebration because she is living proof of what this piece of legislation has meant to so many --- it fostered discoveries and drugs that literally saved her life. Her story was quite moving and admittedly brought me to tears. For those of us who have loved ones afflicted by cancer, it gives me great hope that eventually a cure will be found.

• On the Go Business Apps - Mobile Business Tools for Apple iPad, iPhone & iPod November 26, 2010

  In a recent article, Mobile Business Tools - Social Media Apps for Apple iPad, iPhone & iPod, I discussed the topic of Social Media/Networking applications that are available for download on the iPhone, iPad and iPod that can help you stay connected to your Social Media. There are thousands of other Mobile Business Tools available to you an can be found in multiple different application categories. Following is a guide to several of the more popular Mobile Business Apps that one can use when on the go to essentially take the office with you. Heed my warning, however, once you start using this tools you will never know when to "go home!"

• Mobile Business Tools - Social Media Apps for Apple iPad, iPhone & iPod November 19, 2010

  As I learn more about my new mobile business tools, I am amazed at how much I can do with them to enhance my business. According to Apple there are over 50,000 apps available for download on the iPhone alone. In fact, we often play a game in our family that I like to call, “Is there an app for that?” We have found some seriously odd applications. But with all of the apps that are available, how can you determine which apps are most suitable for you and your business? Following is a guide to some of my favorite and some of the more popular non-industry specific iPhone, iPad and iPod applications that you can use to keep up with your Social Media no matter where you go.

• Meet the Medal Recipients, Plus President Obama's Remarks November 18, 2010

  During his remarks last night President Obama was in typical form, interchangably jovial and serious. The event left one feeling that President Obama would like very much for science education to become a priority. What follows is a transcript of President Obama's remarks, followed by information about each of the Medal recipients, their research and innovations that lead each being selected for recognition.

• Hook, Line & Sinker: USPTO Warns About Invention Scams November 10, 2010

  On Thursday, November 4, 2010, I attended the 15th Annual Inventors Conference at the USPTO.  In my article Reporting from the 15th Annual USPTO Inventors Conference I discussed the morning sessions and lunch speaker, for day one of the conference. ...

• Reporting from the 15th Annual USPTO Inventors Conference November 6, 2010

  All of the morning sessions were open to all attendees followed by break out sessions later in the day where the attendees were able to choose the sessions they wanted to attend. Most of the sessions were repeated throughout the event, so that the attendees would not have to forego one topic session to attend another. There were speakers from both the IP community and the USPTO on topics pertinent to this audience, including the inventor of the Post It Note, Art Fry. The attendees were given the opportunity to attend different educational break out sessions that were meant to educate the independent inventor on the entire patent process.

• AIPLA Honors Chief Judge Paul Michel with Board of Directors' Excellence Award October 31, 2010

  The Executive Director of the AIPLA, Q. Todd Dickinson, then took the stage to introduce a video that was dedicated to this year's AIPLA Board of Directors' Excellence Award. This year the award was given to the Honorable Chief Justice Paul R. Michel, who retired earlier this year. Dickinson explained the award was being given to him "in recognition of his extraordinary leadership and service to the United States Government and in particular his leadership of the Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit as Chief Judge while having a distinguished career marked by intellect, integrity, and an unwavering commitment to the administration of justice."

• AIPLA Panel Discusses Blogging and IPWatchdog Lawsuit October 25, 2010

  Friday afternoon I attended the second day of the AIPLA annual meeting. I got to the Marriott Wardman Park hotel at 9:00 am and was there until after 11:00 pm, for a full day of activities. I met so many interesting people while there, including the cu...

• Reporting Live from Day Two at AIPLA Annual Meeting October 22, 2010

  Today is day two of the AIPLA conference at the Marriot Wardman Park hotel in Washington, DC. There are numerous people attending the conference this year, and topics of discussion and presentation are ranging from intellectual property procurement and enforcement in East Asia,to ethics, to multi-defendent patent litigation strategies, to best practices to mitigate trade secret litigation risks that arise from employee mobility and commercial dealings.

• AIPLA Meeting: David Kappos Q & A with Q. Todd Dickinson October 21, 2010

  One question in particular that stood out to me was the question about hiring at the USPTO. Director Kappos was asked to give us an idea on what the plans are for hiring examiners to the USPTO. Kappos started with "We want YOU to come work for the USPTO." Laughter abounded. Dickinson quickly picked up on this saying: "Uncle Sam wants YOU!" More laughter all around. Kappos went on to explain that they are seeking experienced, well seasoned patent attorneys to come work for the USPTO. They want to hire another 1000 examiners. Dickinson then joked "Ah, so you weren't kidding when you said you wanted them to work for the USPTO?"