Patent Assertion Entities

Patent Session 8B

Moderator:

John Richards

Ladas & Parry, New York

Speakers:

Nikolaus Thumm

Senior Fellow, Joint Research Centre, European Commission, Sevilla, Spain

Patent Assertion Entities in Europe; Their impact on innovation and knowledge transfer in ICT markets

Patent assertion has become a common practice in shaping the balance between technology creation and technology dissemination in the Information and Communication Industry (ICT). The importance of this practice for the functioning of ICT markets has given rise to new entities that enforce patents but do not utilise the patented technology, commonly referred to as patent assertion entities (PAEs). This presentation provides an overview of patent assertion practices and of PAEs in Europe, taking into consideration their impact on innovation and technology transfer in European ICT markets.

Suzanne Munck

Deputy Director (Policy Planning) and Chief IP Counsel, Federal Trade Commission, Washington, D.C.

Patent Assertion Entity Activity, an FTC Study

Last fall, the U.S. Federal Trade Commission issued its report analyzing PAE business models using non-public data collected under Section 6(b) of the FTC Act. Ms. Munck, the report’s lead author, will discuss the Commission’s findings and recommendations.

Panelists:

Scott W. Burt

Senior Vice President, Chief Intellectual Property Officer and General Counsel, Conversant Intellectual Property Management Inc., Ottawa

Myles Jelf

Bristows LLP, London

Steven Lieberman

Rothwell, Figg, Ernst & Manbeck. P.C., Washington, D.C.