Director Review Under USPTO Director Vidal: A Look Back At The Director's First 9 Months And Predictions For The Future

This webinar will look back at Director Vidal’s active first 9 months as head of the USPTO. More specifically, we will look at how Director Vidal has used the Director’s newest authority, the Director Review process, to shape practice before the Patent Trial and Appeal Board (PTAB) and the impact these rulings have on both parties and practitioners. We will also look at what Director Vidal has said publicly through guidance memorandums and blog posts on the most pressing issues before the USPTO. This webinar will include a discussion of a number of recent developments, including:

• PTAB oversight through sua sponte Director Review decisions
• Director Vidal’s guidance on the PTAB’s use of its discretionary denial authority for IPRs and PGRs
• Recent USPTO guidance announcements on issues such as subject matter eligibility (§ 101), Applicant Admitted Prior Art (AAPA), and artificial intelligence (AI); and
• Predictions for the future.