Hon. Q. Todd Dickinson

As the former Under Secretary of Commerce for Intellectual Property and Director of the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, Todd Dickinson possessed an in-depth knowledge of the USPTO and its practices, as well as an uncommon perspective on all facets of U.S. and international IP practice and policy.

During his 35-year career, Todd was also Chief IP Counsel for two Fortune 50 companies, with overall corporate responsibility for all IP, including the management of extensive patent and trademark portfolios. This senior-level in-house experience gave him an intimate understanding of the issues, problems and budget challenges facing corporate counsel.

Most recently, Todd served as the Executive Director of the American Intellectual Property Law Association (AIPLA), where he played a key role in the drafting and passage of the America Invents Act and the subsequent PTO rules, including all aspects of post-grant review.

Gone But Never Forgotten

Todd passed away unexpectedly on May 3, 2020, at the age of 67, of respiratory failure at a hospital in Warrenton, Va.

He had been living in Washington and The Plains, in Va., since 2009 with his husband, Robert H. Atkins. They married in 2017 after a two-year engagement and a decade as partners.

See our tributes to this incredible man at: In Memoriam: Q. Todd Dickinson and ‘A Life Well Lived’: Remembering Q. Todd Dickinson