"Unlike the rest of the world, the United States still has a "first to invent" rule, which uses a procedure called an "interference" to determine which party was first to invent a claimed invention. Congress has long contemplated a "first to file" system and has presented various patent reform bills including the currently pending (as of early September 2007) H.R. 1908, which again proposes to eliminate the "first to invent" system and replace it with "post-grant opposition." Advocates of post-grant opposition believe that it will be beneficial by establishing a way to review patent quality immediately after grant and provide a faster and less expensive alternative to litigation. Whether or not the bill passes now, the issue of administrative post-grant review of patents is a relevant and recurring issue in intellectual property law."

Objective1:Review the latest legislative amendments and case law relating to invention priority and the practical implications of the latest rules and rulings.

Objective2:Examine the recent changes in the law and how those changes affect strategic decisions at a company or institution level.

Objective3:Discuss strategies and tactics for maximizing value of patentable claims and also for blocking patents through the latest procedures.