The American Intellectual Property Law Association (AIPLA) is the largest organization of IP lawyers in the US. When I joined the "P" in AIPLA stood for patents and it was the largest organization of patent attorneys. Shortly, after AIPLA realized some members handled other intellectual property matters such as copyrights, trademark, trade secrets, and unfair competition and changed the meaning of "P" to property, leaving the acronym intact, but diluting the patent focus.
Anyway, the AIPLA's website, publications, email alerts, and conferences keep members abreast on changes in the law. Because it is still very much a group of patent attorneys, the AIPLA has focused on the proposed rules and fees to implement the America Invents Act (AIA). The AIPLA has many members who focus on patent law, and presents fair, balanced, and workable comments. It may not be fun to read AIPLA comments, but it is still worth the time if you want an early look at what may be the final PTO rules and fees.
I have listed links to AIPLA comments on the proposed rules and fees to implement the AIA:
Fee setting authority
Statute of limitations for Office discipline
Changes to the inventor's oath or declaration
Preissuance submissions of prior art by third parties
Citation of patent owners' written statements regard claim scope and estoppel on ex parte reexamination requests by third parties
Supplemental examination and revised reexamination fees
Copyright © 2012 Robert Moll. All rights reserved.
