This Week in Washington IP: U.S. Innovation Policy, Ex Parte Appeals at the PTAB and How Music Creators Are Paid Under the Music Modernization Act

This week in Washington IP events, both houses of Congress remain quiet during August recess. However, programming at the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) will feature tips on navigating the Office’s trademark-related resources as well as exploring suggestions for better advocacy during ex parte appeals at the Patent Trial and Appeal Board. The U.S. Copyright Office also will host an online event discussing the Music Modernization Act’s creation of a new portal for royalty distribution to music makers. Elsewhere, the USC-Brookings Schaeffer Initiative for Health Policy kicks off the week with an exploration of breakthroughs in Alzheimer’s disease diagnostics and treatments, and the Center for Strategic & International Studies hosts a conversation on how U.S. innovation policy should be altered to better compete globally with China.

Tuesday, September 1 

USC-Brookings Schaeffer Initiative for Health Policy

Innovation in Alzheimer’s Disease: Policies to Support Access to Treatments, Diagnostics, and Prevention

At 12:00 PM on Tuesday, online video webinar.

While biotechnology innovations have been able to make great strides in the fight against certain diseases like cancer and HIV, the medical R&D sector has found it much more difficult to develop diagnostics and treatments for Alzheimer’s disease. While this is greatly concerning because of aging populations in the U.S. and other countries, some advances in early detection and care prior to the development of Alzheimer’s symptoms have been made in recent years. This event, which will discuss actions that should be taken by policymakers to ensure that Alzheimer’s innovations are quickly incorporated into the healthcare system, will feature remarks on potential breakthroughs against Alzheimer’s by Paul Aisen, MD, Founding Director, USC Alzheimer’s Therapeutic Research Institute and Professor of Neurology, Keck School of Medicine of USC. Following those remarks will be a discussion on the clinical promise of new treatments for Alzheimer’s with a panel including Paul Aisen; Heather Snyder, PhD, Vice President of Medical & Scientific Relations, Alzheimer’s Association; Sharon Cohen, MD, FRCPC, Medical Director, Toronto Memory Program, and Assistant Professor, Division of Neurology, University of Toronto; and moderated by Dana Goldman, PhD, Director, USC Schaeffer Center, Nonresident Senior Fellow in Economic Studies, The Brookings Institution, and Interim Dean, USC Price School of Public Policy. Another discussion on public policies to support access to care will feature a panel including Darius Lakdawalla, PhD, Director of Research, USC Schaeffer Center, and Professor, USC School of Pharmacy and USC Price School of Public Policy; Steve Miller, MD, Chief Clinical Officer, Cigna Corporation; Sarah Lenz Lock, JD, Senior Vice President for Policy and Brain Health in the Policy, Research and International Affairs Division, AARP; and moderated by Dana Goldman, PhD.

Wednesday, September 2

Center for Strategic & International Studies

Rethinking U.S. Industrial Policy and Innovation Strategy

At 9:00 AM on Wednesday, online video webinar.

Both the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and increasing competition from China as a major global rival have pressed U.S. policymakers to consider how the federal government may be able to intervene in domestic innovation systems to better foster growth. Many proposals have been made on the best way to achieve this growth in the nation’s innovation economy and the discussion has provoked major disagreements among policymakers. This event will feature a discussion about U.S. innovation policy responses to China’s growing global dominance with a panel including Robert Atkinson, President, Information Technology and Innovation Foundation; Derek Scissors, Resident Scholar, American Enterprise Institute; Deborah Wince-Smith, President and CEO, Council on Competitiveness; and moderated by Matthew P. Goodman, Senior Vice President for Economics, CSIS. 

U.S. Patent and Trademark Office

Meet the Trademark Experts

At 1:30 PM on Wednesday, online video webinar.

This event, facilitated by the USPTO’s Trademark Assistance Center, features a teleconference and interactive Q&A with USPTO trademark experts on a series of topics important to brand owners trying to navigate the various trademark services available through the USPTO including the Trademark Electronic Search System (TESS), the Identification of Goods and Services Manual and proper maintenance of federal trademark registrations. Webcasts of the event may be available at Patent and Trademark Resource Centers in Alabama, Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Tennessee and Texas.

The Aspen Institute

Innovators in W.A.S.H.: A Virtual Exchange of Ideas

At 2:00 PM on Wednesday, online video webinar.

Climate change impacts many aspects of public infrastructure systems including facilities and networks meant for water, sanitation and hygiene (W.A.S.H.). This event, part of Aspen Institute’s Innovators in ______: A Virtual Exchange of Ideas, features discussions with industry thought leaders on potential solutions that can mitigate the worst of climate change’s impacts on W.A.S.H. infrastructure.

Thursday, September 3

The Brookings Institution

Bank of England Governor Andrew Bailey on the Future of Cryptocurrencies and Stablecoins

At 10:00 AM on Thursday, online video webinar.

Cryptocurrencies and the potential of decentralized digital currencies in financial systems have been a growing focus among policymakers and regulators in recent years. Trends in this sector have also begun evolving towards the use of stablecoins, cryptocurrencies that are decentralized but are also linked to the price of stable assets. This event, hosted by Brookings’ Hutchins Center on Fiscal & Monetary Policy, will feature keynote remarks on the risks and benefits of both cryptocurrencies and stablecoins and their potential use in financial infrastructures given by Andrew Bailey, Governor, Bank of England. Following those remarks will be a discussion with a panel including Bailey; Blythe Masters, Industry Partner, Motive Partners; Fennie Wang, Founder, Dionysus Labs; Chris Brummer, Faculty Director, Institute of International Economic Law, and Agnes N. Williams Research Professor, Georgetown University; Eswar Prasad, Senior Fellow, Global Economy and Development; and moderated by David Wessel, Director, The Hutchins Center on Fiscal and Monetary Policy, and Senior Fellow, Economic Studies.

New America

Transformation: Restoring Resilience

11:30 AM on Thursday, online video webinar.

Public institutions including schools, healthcare systems and much more have been faced with incredible adversity during the COVID-19 pandemic as the global health crisis continues to burden much of this infrastructure. However, the crisis does provide an opportunity to assess these challenges and rebuild these critical networks in much more resilient ways. This event, part of New America’s Transformation series on ways that innovation and technology can reshape our world, and hosted by New America’s Digital Impact and Governance Initiative (DIGI), features a presentation of a report on fostering resilience co-authored by Dante Disparte, Founder and Chairman, Risk Cooperative, and Member, National Advisory Council, Federal Emergency Management Agency; and Tomicah Tilleman, Director, DIGI, New America. Other speakers at this event will include Chris Bronchi, Global Practice Manager, Fiscal Policy & Sustainable Growth, World Bank; Susan Garfield, US Advisory Principal and Life Sciences Sector Commercial Lead, EY; and Sandy Pentland, Professor, Connection Science, Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

U.S. Patent and Trademark Office 

Learn the Intricacies of Ex Parte Appeals from PTAB Judges

At 12:00 PM on Thursday, online video webinar.

This event, part of the Patent Trial and Appeal Board’s (PTAB) Boardside Chat series, features a discussion on various elements of ex parte appeals at the PTAB, including current pendency times and fast track appeals, with Vice Chief Judges Mike Kim and Janet Gongola. Following that will be a discussion on PTAB practice tips, including ways to improve advocacy skills, with Administrative Patent Judges Annette Reimers, Tara Hutchings and Ifti Ahmed.

American Intellectual Property Law Association 

2020 Virtual Design Rights Boot Camp: Design Protection in Europe

At 12:30 PM on Thursday, online video webinar.

This Thursday marks the first edition of AIPLA’s 2020 Virtual Design Rights Boot Camp, an online CLE program for IP practitioners featuring a series of events on various aspects of design rights. This opening program will explore design protection in Europe, including registered community designs and European copyright in designs. The event features a discussion with Dr. Henning Hartwig, Bardehle Pagenberg; Dr. Peter Schramm, Meyerlustenberger Lachenal AG; and moderated by Elizabeth Isaac, Dunlap Codding, P.C.

U.S. Copyright Office

How New Music Laws Can Help You Create and Get Paid

At 4:00 PM on Thursday, online video webinar.

The Music Modernization Act (MMA) and its establishment of blanket licenses for streaming music services has created new opportunities for the collection royalties for music makers. This event will detail important aspects of the MMA’s changes, how those changes are being implemented at the Copyright Office and ways that musicians can prepare for the royalty claiming portal being set up under the terms of the MMA. This event will feature a discussion with Regan Smith, General Counsel and Associate Register of Copyrights; Todd Dupler, Recording Academy; Kay Hanley, SONA; and Bart Herbison, NSAI.

 

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United States Capitol Building in Washington DC