December 2021 NAPP Member News

Save the Date - AMC 2022

NAPP is planning its 26th Annual Meeting and Conference as an in-person event in scenic Greater Boulder, Colorado on July 17-19, 2022. Dan Krueger is leading a committee on AMC planning. More details to come soon.

NAPP’s New Lands’ End Store

You can now order NAPP branded apparel and accessories with the NAPP logo graphic stitched or screen printed. You chose your apparel or accessory item, size, color, and the NAPP logo. You order online, pay online, and the item will be shipped directly to you. Visit the e-store at https://www.napp.org/napp-lands-end-member-store or use the Quick Links Menu on the NAPP website.

NAPP’s New Auto Renewal Membership Option

NAPP is excited to announce a quick and easy automatic membership renewal option. The new NAPP Auto-Renew Program is a convenient way to automatically renew your NAPP membership before it expires. Members enjoy uninterrupted service and avoid the hassle of manually sending a check or entering credit card details online. Just look for the "Auto-Renew" radio button when you renew your NAPP membership.

NAPP’s Advocacy Initiatives

NAPP recently requested the USPTO to increase the accessibility and transparency of cases cited in the Manual of Patent Examining Procedure (MPEP).  View a summary of NAPP’s advocacy actions on the new Advocacy Tracker page:
https://napp.memberclicks.net/advocacy-tracker or view this page can be also found on NAPP’s website at https://www.napp.org/advocacy

NAPP Volunteer Judges needed for USPTO 2022 National Patent Application Drafting Competition 

Do you remember drafting your first patent application? NAPP partnered with the USPTO to develop the next generation of patent practitioners through a patent drafting competition for students. The competition introduces law students to issues arising in U.S. patent law and develops their patent application drafting, amending, and prosecution skills. The USPTO specifically asked NAPP to serve as distinguished judges for the competition. As a judge, you will read patent applications, participate in oral arguments, and help students discover the art of patent drafting, prosecution, and oral advocacy. If interested, please send your contact details to the NAPP Office at [email protected]. Genna Hibbs will follow up with more details on judging. 

NAPP's Government Affairs Committee

The Government Affairs committee asks everybody to spread the word: NAPP is in the Amicus Brief, Comments, and Law Review article business. Let anybody who's interested know the committee is looking for opportunities to participate in such efforts, and those opportunities should be passed along to Xhavin Sinha or Karen Miles ([email protected]). There is also interest in organizing a student writing competition on patent topics. Let Xhavin or Karen know if you want to be involved.  

Volunteers needed for NAPP's Governance Committee

The Governance Committee is reorganizing, with a goal to promote volunteer opportunities and facilitate member participation. This committee project could potentially transform NAPP into every patent practitioner's organization of choice. If you want to be involved in this transformative effort, please contact Dan Krueger or Karen Miles ([email protected]).