Biden’s USPTO Pick Can Restore Much-Needed Patent Reform
By Jean Anne Booth, Troy Lester
This op-ed was originally published on Law360 on Nov. 10, 2021
With his nomination of Winston & Strawn LLP litigator Kathi Vidal as the new U.S. Patent and Trademark Office director, President Joe Biden has an opportunity to fix the problems in our patent system that have stifled innovation and entrepreneurs over the past few years.
It was just a decade ago that Republicans and Democrats came together and passed the America Invents Act, the most sweeping reform to our country's patent system in more than a half century.
The Leahy-Smith America Invents Act is good law. It was based on bipartisan support. Bad, overly broad patents are harmful to American companies like ours and are antithetical to fostering and protecting innovation. Simply stated, poor-quality patents disincentivize American manufacturing and strain good-paying manufacturing jobs.
Read the full piece by Jean Anne Booth and Troy Lester here.
