ArentFox Schiff LLP is seeking a patent agent or patent attorney with a minimum of five years of experience preparing and prosecuting patent applications in the biotechnology field at a law firm. The ideal candidate will have substantial experience drafting patent applications directed to in vitro diagnostic assays, along with familiarity in one or more of the following areas: immunoassays, CRISPR-based assays, nucleic acid sequencing and quantification, and related probes, kits, and reagents. Experience with computational biology is a plus but is not required. This position will be based in the firm’s San Francisco or New York office. Ideal candidates will hold an M.S. or Ph.D. in molecular biology or a closely related discipline. Candidates who do not hold a graduate degree, but who possess a B.S. in a relevant field combined with five or more years of post-graduate laboratory or industry experience will also be considered.

Last week, U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) Director John Squires issued a decision denying institution of inter partes review (IPR) proceedings petitioned by tech giant Apple to challenge patent rights owned by WeCrevention, the intellectual property holding subsidiary of Taiwanese semiconductor developer Etron Technology. Director Squires’ ruling continues the ongoing crackdown against gamesmanship at the Patent Trial and Appeal Board (PTAB) by petitioners pursuing positions inconsistent with district court litigation to increase their odds of invalidating competitor patent rights.

This week in Other Barks & Bites: public interest groups voice their opposition to the PRO CODES Act for allowing private ownership of code standards incorporated by reference into public law; the Eleventh Circuit reverses the Middle District of Florida for failing to consider evidence of non-generic use in a cheerleading competition trademark case; the Federal Trade Commission files an amicus brief arguing that no specific intent is required to show that Johnson & Johnson’s patent acquisitions were anticompetitive; the European Patent Office publishes a study analyzing dozens of landmark cases on licensing rate determinations for standards-essential patents; and more.