Opening Remarks:

Welcome
Valencia Martin Wallace
Deputy Commissioner for Patent Quality, USPTO

Advancing Quality in the IP Community
Michelle K. Lee
Under Secretary of Commerce for Intellectual Property and
Director of the United States Patent and Trademark Office

Presentations:

I. Clarity of the Record Pilot Results
Robin Evans
Director, Technology Center 2800, USPTO

II. Improving Clarity and Reasoning in Office Actions (ICR) Training/
STEPP/Automated Pre-examination Search
Greg Vidovich
Associate Commissioner for Patent Quality, USPTO

III. Master Review Form and Quality Metrics Results
Marty Rater
Acting Director, Office of Patent Quality Assurance, USPTO

IV. Topic Submission for Case Studies Results
Brian Hanlon
Director, Office of Patent Legal Administration, USPTO

Panel Discussion:

Patent Quality in the USPTO – Our Next Steps!

Moderator: Jack Harvey
                Assistant Deputy Commissioner for Patent Operations, USPTO

Bob Bahr
Deputy Commissioner for Patent Examination Policy, USPTO
Andy Faile
Deputy Commissioner for Patent Operations, USPTO
Kevin Rhodes
President and Chief IP Counsel, 3M Innovative Properties Company
Hans Sauer
Deputy General Counsel for IP, Biotechnology Innovation Organization
Valencia Martin Wallace
Deputy Commissioner for Patent Quality, USPTO

Ethics Presentation:

Professional Responsibility and Practice Before the USPTO
Will Covey
Deputy General Counsel, Office of Enrollment and Discipline, USPTO

Presentations:

I. Patent Quality and Post Grant Activities
Russ Slifer
Deputy Under Secretary of Commerce for Intellectual Property and
Deputy Director of the United States Patent and Trademark Office

II. Effect of Patent Quality in U.S. Courts
Hon. Raymond Chen
Judge, United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit

Panel Discussion:

Patent Quality and Its Impact in the U.S. Courts

Moderator: Charles Molster
                The Law Offices of Charles B. Molster, PLLC

Hon. Raymond Chen
Judge, United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit
Paul Grewal
Vice President and Deputy General Counsel for Worldwide Litigation, Facebook
     and former Magistrate Judge, United States District Court for the Northern
     District of California
Hon. Paul Michel (ret.)
Chief Judge, United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit
Hon. S. Jay Plager
Judge, United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit

Panel Discussions:

I. International Quality Efforts

Moderator: Colleen Chien
                Associate Professor, Santa Clara Law School

Roger Gobrogge
IP Counsel, ITIP ProFiciency, LLC
Dr. Stuart Graham
Associate Professor, Scheller College of Business, Georgia Institute of Technology
Mark Powell
Deputy Commissioner for International Patent Cooperation, USPTO
Alfred Spigarelli — SLIDES
Principal Director of Quality Management, European Patent Office

II. What Can Applicants Do To Enhance Patent Quality?

Moderator: Arti Rai
                Elvin R. Latty Professor of Law, Duke Law School

Bob Armitage — SLIDES
Consultant, IP Strategy & Policy (former General Counsel, Eli Lilly)
Vera Ranieri
Attorney, Electronic Frontier Foundation
Russ Slifer
Deputy Under Secretary of Commerce for Intellectual Property and
Deputy Director of the United States Patent and Trademark Office
Mark Vallone — SLIDES
IP Counsel, IBM
Saurabh Vishnubhakat
Associate Professor of Law and Engineering, Texas A&M University

Closing Remarks:

Next Steps of Enhancing Patent Quality
Andrew Hirshfeld
Commissioner for Patents, USPTO