PTAB Bar Association 

Welcome to the PTAB Bar Association, an organization dedicated to preserving and promoting the highest professional and ethical standards among lawyers and stakeholders who appear before the Patent Trial and Appeal Board (PTAB) of the United States Patent and Trademark Office.

The PTAB Bar Association touches every aspect of patent practice and is the only community exclusively devoted to legal practice before the PTAB. Our members have unparalleled opportunities to share ideas, engage in interactive discussions on recent developments and current policy considerations before the PTAB, and forge meaningful connections with seasoned practitioners, PTAB judges, and top industry experts.  Members are the heart and soul of the PTAB Bar Association, and we encourage you to join this dynamic and growing bar association! 

2024 PTAB Bar Association Thought Leader Summit 
Thursday, October 10, 2024 
 
Simultaneous Bi-Coastal Event

USPTO Alexandria, VA  |  USPTO San Jose, CA
  

Mark your calendar to join us for the PTAB Bar Association Thought Leader SummitThursday, October 10, 2024. The Thought Leader Summit will be bigger than ever! This year’s event will be a unique bi-coastal experience, held simultaneously at the USPTO offices in Alexandria, Virginia (1:30pm-5:30pmET) and San Jose, California (10:30am-2:30pmPT).

Key highlights include a panel discussion in Virginia that will be live-streamed to California, followed by in-person keynote addresses and engaging round table discussions at both locations. New this year, the Thought Leader Summit will add an Expertise Expo, offering participants an in-person opportunity to engage in Q&A with APJs and fellow practitioners to address practical and procedural issues that arise in practice before the PTAB. After the sessions, attendees will have the chance to network with peers and colleagues during receptions at both venues.

Register Here

PTAB Bar Association members enjoy discounted registration. 
If you are not a member of this growing and dynamic organization, join now
HERE.

Member Spotlight - Get To Know Your Colleagues!


Upcoming Events

September
Monday

Program Committee Webinar-Bench and Bar Discussion of IPR Strategies and Practice Tips

PTAB Bar Association Program Committee Webinar:
“Bench and Bar Discussion of IPR Strategies and Practical Tips”
Monday, September...
September
Tuesday

PTAB Bar Assoc. and IPLAC - Windy City Meet Up: Networking and Debates

PTAB Bar Assoc. and IPLAC host
The Windy City Meet Up: 
A Night of Networking and Debates
Tuesday, September 24, 2024| 5:00pm...

Recent Events


Program Committee Regional Event


On August 22, 2024, the Program Committee, in collaboration with the Rocky Mountain Regional Office of the USPTO (RMRO) and the Colorado IP American Inn of Court, held a special in-person event in Denver, Colorado, in conjunction with the 10-year anniversary of the RMRO entitled The Evolution of PTAB Trial Practice Since the AIA: A Celebration of the 10-Year Anniversary of the RMRO.  This three-part celebration brought together current and former USPTO judges and stakeholders, and featured programming at the RMRO and Colorado Bar Association, exploring the evolution of the RMRO and PTAB practice over the last decade. Additional information on this event can be found at Program Committee - PTAB Bar Association.





USPTO Roadshows


The PTAB Bar Association and the USPTO hosted USPTO Ex Parte Appeal Roadshows and Receptions in five locations throughout the country, including the event shown here in Atlanta.  For more information about the Roadshows, please visit https://www.uspto.gov/patents/ptab/ex-parte-appeal-roadshows.


Diversity Committee Events


The Diversity Committee has hosted and sponsored several events this year in association with other committees.  The most recent event sponsored by the Diversity Committee was a panel discussion hosted by Virtual Patent Gateway (VPG), Unveiling AAPIH Excellence: Personal Stories of Professional Excellence, moderated by USPTO Vice Chief Judge Michael Kim. For information on additional events, visit Diversity Committee - PTAB Bar Association.


Nuts & Bolts from the Young Lawyers/Agents Committee


The Young Lawyers/Agents (YLA) Committee has introduced a Nuts & Bolts educational series for practitioners new to PTAB practice. Recently, the YLA Committee, the Industry Committee, and the Diversity Committee hosted a webinar in February 2024 entitled LEAP the Barriers to PTAB Oral Advocacy. For more information on the Nuts & Bolts series, visit Young Lawyers and Agents Committee - PTAB Bar Association.


Our Seed Funders


The PTAB Bar Association thanks all 50 law firms who generously provided seed funding for the Association's early development expenses.