intellectual property Archives

28 Jun

The Global Impact of Pro Bono Intellectual Property Work – Alexander Zajac

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Alexander Zajac‘s article, “The Global Impact of Pro Bono Intellectual Property Work,” discusses the significant global effects that pro bono intellectual property (IP) services can have for the American Bar Association’s Landslide Magazine.

Despite the reluctance of lawyers to perform IP services pro bono due to liability concerns and marketing goals, Zajac argues that there are worthy clients with cross-border legal needs that can greatly benefit from such services.

Zajac identifies several impediments to global pro bono services in IP. Lawyers are often risk-averse, fearing malpractice liability from pro bono activities. The decentralized nature of licensure also makes cross-border pro bono work difficult. During the COVID-19 pandemic, these difficulties were exacerbated as more attorneys began working remotely from jurisdictions in which they were not licensed. Additionally, many lawyers look for pro bono opportunities that seem particularly philanthropic, and some believe that IP work does not help disadvantaged people and thus is not philanthropic.

However, Zajac argues that trademarks, patents, and copyrights are not mere tools of profitability. They can be used to fundraise for humanitarian causes or to keep unsafe products off the market, among other philanthropic uses. Even if pro bono IP services are not provided directly to disadvantaged people, social enterprises may benefit from pro bono IP services and use their saved costs and IP rights philanthropically.

The article presents two case studies to demonstrate the global impact of pro bono IP services. The first case study is Shimmy Technologies, a company that uses artificial intelligence to help apparel workers upskill and reskill in light of ongoing automation. The company benefited from pro bono IP work, which helped it protect its inventions, copyrights, and trademarks when it expanded into new countries. The pro bono work also provided peace of mind to the company, allowing it to focus more on developing its products and continuing to roll out upskilling programs.

The second case study is Be Girl, a social enterprise dedicated to providing access to sanitary supplies that are appropriate to cultural practices and socioeconomic conditions. The company’s founder, Diana Sierra, understood the importance of obtaining a patent on her invention and was able to accelerate her fundraising abilities with a pending patent application. As Be Girl grew, it continued to receive pro bono assistance, which helped it expand its patent portfolio and trademark filings. This expanded patent portfolio opened discussions with big players in the sanitary supplies market and allowed Be Girl to insist on the safety and affordability of sanitary supplies before such products are pushed to market.

In conclusion, Zajac emphasizes that providing pro bono IP advice and services can have positive global effects. There are many well-meaning enterprises that would benefit from pro bono IP services, and many of these potential clients have cross-border legal needs. For companies like Shimmy and Be Girl, receiving pro bono IP assistance helped them pursue their goals of upskilling workers and furthering female education around the globe.

Read the full article to learn more about the global benefits of providing pro bono intellectual property work.

28 Sep

Paul Harrity Named a Virginia Weekly’s Go-To IP Lawyer

Harrity & Harrity

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Harrity & Harrity is honored to announce that Managing Partner, Paul Harrity, has been recognized as a leading intellectual property lawyer in the Virginia Lawyers Weekly “Go To Lawyers” showcase.

“As a one-time patent examiner himself, Paul Harrity is well-versed in the particulars of intellectual property. Previous to his time in government, he worked as a troubleshooter at IBM and a design engineer at General Dynamics. After law school, he specialized in patent prosecution and preparation for clients at Finnegan, Henderson, Farabow, Garrett & Dunner.

As evidenced by the work of the award-winning firm he founded in 1999, Harrity’s first-hand experience has helped him gain unique insight into the challenging and constantly evolving area of law that is intellectual property.

Today, he analyzes patent portfolios to identify infringement issues and drafts claims on competitor’s products. His knowledge in computer hardware and software, telecommunications, optical systems and other issues has helped put his firm at the forefront of the field.”

Read the full issue at here.

31 Aug

Harrity Named #1 Midsize Law Firm to Work For

Harrity & Harrity

Firm News, General, Team best places to work, harrity, intellectual property, patent firms, patent law, quality

Harrity & Harrity has been named the #1 Midsize Law Firm to Work For by the Vault. Harrity also received this award in 2021!

Associates at midsize law firms assessed their own firms on a range of workplace issues related to career development, job satisfaction, and quality of life. Vault’s 2023 Rankings are derived from Vault’s Annual Associate Survey conducted from January 2022 through March 2022.

According to the Vault’s announcement, Harrity received a 9.55/10, taking the number one spot overall. Harrity was also recognized in the following categories:

#1 Overall
#1 in Firm Culture
#1 in Hours
#1 in Informal Training, Mentoring, & Sponsorship
#1 in Technology & Innovation
#1 in Quality of Work
#1 in Satisfaction
#1 in Selectivity
#2 in Diversity
#2 in Formal Training
#3 in Transparency
#3 in Wellness
#4 in Compensation
#6 in Associate/Partner Relations
#10 in Career Outlook
#19 in Pro Bono

Click HERE to learn more.

2 May

Harrity Recognized as an MIP IP Star

Harrity & Harrity

Firm News, General, Team harrity, intellectual property, IP Stars, patent firms, patent law, quality, top patent firms

Harrity & Harrity has been named a Recommended Firm in Virginia on the 2022 Managing Intellectual Property IP Stars Rankings.

The Managing IP Awards program recognizes remarkable achievements and developments in the last year. Now in its 17th year, the program covers several IP practice areas and more than 50 jurisdictions.

Click HERE to learn more.

9 Dec

Joe Lentivech – An Ex-PTAB Judge on Ex-Parte Appeals: Clause 8, Episode 23

Harrity & Harrity

Articles, Clause 8, Team Clause 8, clause 8 podcast, Eli Mazour, ex parte, intellectual property, IP, ipwatchdog, joseph lentivech, PTAB

How does the USPTO’s Patent Trial and Appeal Board (PTAB) actually operate? What does it take to win an ex parte appeal? When should you request an oral hearing? What are the chances of the PTAB reversing a Section 101 rejection? How do you become an Administrative Patent Judge?

In this latest episode of Clause 8, I speak with former Administrative Patent Judge Joe Lentivech to get answers to these questions. He’s not only an expert in how the PTAB operates, but also a master storyteller.

Listen and subscribe on IPwatchdog.com or your favorite podcasting app!

25 Sep

Brad Watts – Section 101 Reform Efforts in the 116th Congress: Clause 8, Episode 22

Harrity & Harrity

Articles, Clause 8, Team 101 reform, Clause 8, clause 8 podcast, Eli Mazour, intellectual property, IP, section 101, senate, thom tillis

Brad Watts is the Majority Chief Counsel and Staff Director for the Senate Subcommittee on Intellectual Property. Under the leadership of Senator Thom Tillis, Brad Watts has led the effort to fix the Section 101 patent eligibility mess.

A series of Supreme Court decisions over the last decade have caused enormous confusion and uncertainty with regard to patent eligibility. After the 2018 midterm elections, to the relief of many in the innovation community, Senators Thom Tillis and Chris Coons requested to reinstate the Senate Subcommittee on IP to fix this issue. The process for reforming 101 included a framework released in April 2019, a bipartisan, bicameral draft bill released in May 2019, and an unprecedented three days of hearings with 45 witnesses representing almost every imaginable view on the subject.

At the end of those hearings, Sen. Tillis said “I want to do this quickly . . . I think we can review the record and make changes, garner consensus, and introduce a final bill sometime after the July 4 recess.” That never happened.

In an IP Watchdog interview earlier this year, Sen Tillis explained that the Section 101 reform “process stalled because stakeholders refused to compromise.”

What happened? Is the effort to reform Section 101 really over? Why did the effort fail in this Congress? What should the innovation community do help revive the effort? Is there a possibility of a narrow medical diagnostics fix that is likely to lead many others pushing for reform disappointed?

In this episode, I speak with Brad about what really happened during this last attempt at reform, why it wasn’t successful, where to go from here, and much more.

Some of the topics discussed:

How Capitol Hill staffers learn about IP issues
Influence of Professor David Taylor’s research about the current patent eligibility jurisprudence and its negative impact on investment
What prompted Sen. Tillis to focus on patent eligibility reform and restart the Senate Subcommittee on IP
Process laid out by Sen. Tillis for patent eligibility reform legislation
Why everyone who wanted to engage in good faith was invited to be part of the process
Whether goal was to pass bill this Congress or to start a multi-Congress effort
Bad faith efforts to stop patent eligibility reform and why even some opponents of patent eligibility reform might have legitimate points
How the bipartisan, bicameral draft bill released in May 2019 was drafted – involvement of staffers Jamie Simpson, Phil (Phillip) Warrick, and Tom (Thomas) Stoll and the principals
Possibility of narrow diagnostics-only fix for Section 101 and why Sen. Tillis is open to it
Why Sen. Tillis never introduced a bill after the 3 day of hearings
How stakeholders can reach consensus with regards to patent eligibility to make reform possible
Continued work on patent eligibility reform
How stakeholders can and should communicate their position and concerns to Sen. Tillis and their own Senators about IP issues in general

Listen and subscribe on IPwatchdog.com or your favorite podcasting app!

1 Sep

Professor Adam Mossoff – Academics in IP: Clause 8, Episode 21

Harrity & Harrity

Articles, Clause 8, Team academics, Clause 8, clause 8 podcast, Eli Mazour, intellectual property, IP

When Eli first started practicing in the late aughts, he found that a lot of what he was seeing about patents in various academic papers and studies, on Capitol Hill, and even in Supreme Court decisions, didn’t really reflect the reality of what he was seeing in practice, talking to innovators. In contrast, Professor Adam Mossoff’s compelling work, including articles in various general interest newspapers, stood out. Not surprisingly, he is largely responsible for providing the intellectual foundation that has helped shift the anti-patent narrative. So, it was a huge honor to talk to someone who not only helped shape Eli’s own thinking about patent and IP policy issues but has really shaped the current debates in Washington, DC about these issues.

Professor Mossoff is currently Professor of Law at George Mason University’s Antonin Scalia Law School, a Senior Fellow at the Hudson Institute, and a Visiting Intellectual Property Fellow at the Heritage Foundation.

On this episode, Professor Mossoff and Eli discuss academics’ impact on IP policy and many other subjects, including:

how Richard Epstein influenced Professor Mossoff’s scholarship,
how the ideals of classical liberalism relate to intellectual property rights,
the debate among conservatives and libertarians regarding IP issues,
what’s wrong about framing IP rights as being all about providing incentives,
the Supreme Court’s approach to patent cases,
why Congress and the executive branch – not the Supreme Court – are the better path for improving America’s patent system,
“Why Do Law Professors Do What They Do?”
how law school professors influence the patent policy debate,
how trade organizations try to shape the patent policy debate by using law professors and other prominent attorneys,
importance of law school professors making it clear when they’re acting as advocates v. as academics,
navigating junk science studies/statistical claims about the patent system,
importance of engaging in a positive research agenda about the patent system instead of just reacting to bad scholarship,
empirical research overwhelmingly contradicting the patent holdup theory over the last 10 years,
educating Congressman Darrell Issa and the importance of having evidence and data on your side,
contradiction of China strengthening its own patent system while continuing to steal IP from other countries and having no rule of law otherwise,
the unprecedented response by the pharmaceutical industry to the COVID?19 pandemic thanks to the foundation previously created by America’s patent system,
how current changes to the patent system can undermine a similar response to the future,
and much more!

Listen and subscribe on IPwatchdog.com or your favorite podcasting app!

28 Jan

Elaine Spector Named First Female Partner at Harrity, LLP

Harrity & Harrity

Diversity, Firm News, General AIPLA, corporate ip institute, diversity, Elaine Spector, harrity, intellectual property, IPO, law, partner, USPTO, women in law

WASHINGTON, DC (January 28, 2020) Harrity & Harrity, LLP is pleased to announce Elaine Spector as one of three newly named partners at the firm. Already a driving force in legal innovation, diversity initiatives, and charity involvement, Elaine’s new role is sure to implement even more progressive ideas at Harrity.

“Truly, something extraordinary is happening here at Harrity; where a woman, or any other lawyer for that matter, can have the opportunity to be a partner, but not at the sacrifice of their family. I am unaware of any other firms that provide the flexibility that Harrity offers; that can allow a mom like myself (who likes to cook for her family and be involved) an opportunity to work reduced hours, while still caring for my family in a way that feels good to me,” said Elaine. “I am very excited for the opportunity I’ve been given and for what the future holds for this awesome firm. The best is yet to come.”

Elaine is a patent attorney with over 20 years of experience in intellectual property law. Her current practice consists primarily of prosecuting patent applications with a focus on electromechanical technologies. She is Harrity’s first female partner.

Prior to joining Harrity & Harrity, Elaine worked in private practice for over 15 years handling various intellectual property matters, including patent application drafting and prosecution, trademark prosecution and enforcement, as well as litigating complex patent cases in federal courts. Elaine’s extensive litigation experience provides her with a unique perspective in prosecuting patent applications.

Most recently, Elaine worked in-house for 6 years at Johns Hopkins Technology Ventures, where she managed over 500 matters in medical and software related technologies before moving to Harrity, LLP in May, 2017.

Elaine serves as Chair of the Harrity Diversity Committee and Chair of the AIPLA Women in IP Law Committee’s Global Networking Event and Outreach Subcommittees. She is also on the IPO Diversity Committee’s Management Team and is a Board Member at the non-profit No More Stolen Childhoods.

To learn more about Elaine’s background and leadership involvement, please visit her Harrity Bio Page.

About Harrity & Harrity, LLP

Harrity & Harrity is a patent preparation and prosecution firm specializing in the electrical and mechanical technology areas and is considered a Go-To Firm for the Patent 300®. Our clients have come to trust in our high-quality work, experienced people, industry leading innovation, and outstanding service. For more information, visit harrityllp.com.

28 Jan

Clause 8’s Eli Mazour Named Partner

Harrity & Harrity

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WASHINGTON, DC (January 28, 2020) Harrity & Harrity, LLP is excited to announce that Eli Mazour has been named partner of the firm. Mazour’s expert knowledge of the patent field, creativity and efficiency in patent prosecution, strong business acumen, and large network within the patent community will be crucial factors in the growth and advancement of the firm. He is one of three new partners at Harrity, as announced by the firm last week.

“I’m excited to now be a partner at America’s most innovative patent preparation and prosecution boutique,” commented Mazour. “This will allow me to continue to provide the greatest possible value to technology companies that are interested in growing high-quality patent portfolios that best fit their business needs.”

Mazour leads the firm’s patent prosecution team with a focus on helping Patent 300® companies build valuable, high-quality patent portfolios in an efficient manner. He has extensive experience in all aspects of patent prosecution, including preparing and prosecuting hundreds of patent applications related to computer software, Internet and e-commerce, telecommunications, networking devices, electronic consumer products, and medical devices.

Mazour has specific expertise in developing and implementing innovative patent prosecution strategies for reaching favorable results at the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. He assists clients in evaluating existing patent portfolios, identifying strategic areas for patenting, and creating processes for harvesting disclosures of patentable inventions.

Mazour began his patent law career at the law firm of Finnegan, Henderson, Farabow, Garrett, & Dunner and has been with Harrity, LLP since 2010. Throughout his tenure, Mazour has been helping clients resolve complex patent assertion and licensing issues. As a result, he is keenly aware of the pitfalls to avoid and opportunities to grasp during patent prosecution.

In addition to providing outstanding prosecution support, Mazour is the creator and host of the Clause 8 podcast, which was recently picked up by the IP field’s largest online publication, IPWatchdog.com. Clause 8 features interviews with prominent members of the IP community in which the most interesting and influential topics of today’s patent world are discussed. As a result, Mazour is sought out by clients and professionals for his insight on various patent policy developments, including legislative proposals and changes at the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO). Mazour has also partaken in several speaking engagements focused on patentability and authored a number of articles on patent strategy.

To learn more about Mazour’s background, and to view all of his speaking engagements and publications, please visit his Harrity Bio Page.

About Harrity & Harrity, LLP

Harrity & Harrity is a patent preparation and prosecution firm specializing in the electrical and mechanical technology areas and is considered a Go-To Firm for the Patent 300™ Our clients have come to trust in our high-quality work, experienced people, industry leading innovation, and outstanding service. For more information, visit harrityllp.com.

28 Jan

Senior Associate Neil Kardos Promoted to Partner

Harrity & Harrity

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WASHINGTON, DC (January 28, 2020) Harrity & Harrity, LLP is pleased to announce that senior associate Neil Kardos has recently been named partner. As the firm continues to expand, Neil will play a key role in its ability to stay current with new technologies, provide excellent service to the firm’s clients, become increasingly efficient, develop patent automation tools, and drive forward-thinking business development. Neil is one of three new partners at Harrity, as announced by the firm last week.

“I’m excited and thankful to be part of an innovative firm that’s blazing a trail toward what a patent law firm should look like,” Neil said of the announcement.

Neil is a patent attorney specializing in preparing and prosecuting patent applications. His practice focuses on electrical, computer, and mechanical technologies, including telecommunications, 5G, vehicle-to-everything (V2X) systems, financial technologies, computer hardware and software systems, computer networking, search engines, optical systems, internet hardware and software systems, machinery, sensors, control systems, e-commerce, and business methods.

Neil is actively involved with the Intellectual Property Owner’s Association (IPO) and has spoken at the IPO annual meeting on several occasions, most recently about diversity and gender disparity among inventors. He has partaken in several speaking engagements regarding innovation and the IP field, including presentations at IPO and the Corporate IP Institute as a panel member to analyze and discuss trends in corporate IP management, as well as to share strategies for using patent analytics to manage IP portfolios and IP teams. As part of his work on the IPO’s Corporate IP Management Committee, for which he has served as Vice Chair, Neil helped develop a benchmarking survey that assists in-house counsel in the management of their IP departments and patent portfolios.

Prior to joining Harrity, Neil worked as a Primary Patent Examiner at the United States Patent and Trademark Office, where he examined patent applications directed to computer-related technologies, operations research, e-commerce, computer software, complex network analysis, internet applications, and business methods. While working at the USPTO, Neil attended The George Washington University National Law Center and served as a member of The George Washington Law Review. He has been with Harrity, LLP since April of 2012.

To learn more about Neil’s background, and to view all of his speaking engagements and publications, please visit his Harrity Bio Page.

About Harrity & Harrity, LLP

24 Jan

Harrity Promotes Three Attorneys to Partner, Including First Female Partner

Harrity & Harrity

Diversity, Firm News, General AIPLA, Clause 8, corporate ip institute, diversity, Elaine Spector, Eli Mazour, harrity, intellectual property, IPO, law, Neil Kardos, partner, USPTO, women in law

WASHINGTON, DC (January 24, 2020) Harrity & Harrity, a leading patent law firm based in the Washington, DC metro area, is pleased to announce the promotion of three top patent attorneys into partner roles, effective January 1, 2020.

Neil Kardos, Eli Mazour, and Elaine Spector have consistently demonstrated excellence in their practices while going above and beyond to contribute to the firm’s accomplishments in the intellectual property sector. The announcement comes at a time when Harrity is on track to be national leaders in innovation, automation, analytics, charity, and diversity initiatives in the legal field. The transition of Neil, Eli, and Elaine into partnership roles will be a driving force in the continued growth and advancement of the firm.

“Neil, Elaine and Eli are an exceptional group of talent. During their collective time at Harrity, each has demonstrated a tremendous amount of leadership, innovation, efficiency, and progression, both within the firm and the IP community as a whole- all while providing top quality services to our clients. We are thrilled to have these three attorneys begin a new chapter with us as partners and know they will play an instrumental role in furthering Harrity’s accomplishments into the new decade,” said the firm’s Managing Partner, John Harrity.

Neil Kardos, a former Primary Patent Examiner at the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) and active member of the Intellectual Property Owner’s Association (IPO) and Corporate IP Institute, specializes in preparing and prosecuting patent applications. His practice focuses on electrical, computer, and mechanical technologies, including telecommunications, 5G, vehicle-to-everything (V2X) systems, financial technologies, computer hardware and software systems, computer networking, search engines, optical systems, internet hardware and software systems, machinery, sensors, control systems, e-commerce, and business methods. Neil is a graduate of The George Washington University National Law Center and has been with Harrity since April of 2012.

Eli Mazour joined Harrity in 2010 and currently leads the firm’s patent prosecution team with a focus on helping Patent 300® companies build valuable, high-quality patent portfolios in an efficient manner. In this role, he develops and implements best practices for managing workflow and innovative patent prosecution strategies for reaching favorable results at the USPTO. Eli is also the creator and host of the Clause 8 podcast, which features interviews with prominent members of the IP community, and has written and presented about various patent-related trends. As a result, he is sought out by clients and other professionals for his insights on various patent policy developments, including legislative proposals and changes at the USPTO.

Elaine Spector has over 20 years of experience in intellectual property law. Her extensive experience in the IP field includes patent application drafting and prosecution, trademark prosecution and enforcement, as well as litigating complex patent cases in federal courts. Elaine’s current practice consists primarily of prosecuting patent applications with a focus on electromechanical technologies. Elaine is a driving force in legal service quality, diversity programs, and charity involvement at the firm, and currently serves as Chair of the Harrity Diversity Committee and Chair of the AIPLA Women in IP Law Committee’s Global Networking Event and Outreach Subcommittees. She is also on the IPO Diversity Committee’s Management Team and is a Board Member at the non-profit No More Stolen Childhoods. Elaine has been with Harrity since 2017 and is the firm’s first female partner.

About Harrity & Harrity, LLP