Justification: This course will provide students at Albany Law School with an interest in patent law to develop skills and knowledge used in the practice before the United States Patent Office. The United States Patent Office is the only government agency that requires practitioners take a bar exam (the Patent Bar) as a requirement for practice. This course will provide students with the advanced tools needed for patent drafting and prosecution to maximize licensing and enforcement value. This material does not significantly overlap with other course material at Albany Law School.

Course Description: This course will be a 2.0 credit hour course that will provide students with an in-depth knowledge of Patent Prosecution and Drafting. In particular, the course will focus on providing a student with the skills and knowledge necessary to assist the client/inventor in obtaining a patent, from the initial step of meeting with an inventor through the post patent issuance procedures. It will be assumed that the student has had a course in basic patent law.

Required Materials:
Manual of Patent Examining Procedure (hereinafter “MPEP”)
Class Packet

Patent Law and Policy Cases and Material (Hereinafter "PLP"), LexisNexis

Final Grade:
55 percent - Final Exam; and
45 percent - Class Assignments

Topics to be Covered:

January 14, 2008

Patent Law and Policy Cases and Material (Hereinafter "PLP") pgs. 1-48          
 

January 28, 2008

Handout Claim Drafting Homework Packet #1

PLP pgs. 49-106

          Patent 308,488 Burglar Trap (Nov. 25, 1884)

          Patent 644,077 Acetyl Salicylic Acid (Feb. 27, 1900)

          Patent 3,034,806 Digital Displays (Nov. 19, 1958)

          Patent 4,424,786 Fuel Saving Device (Jan. 10, 1984)

          Patent B1 4,424,786 Reexamination: Fuel Saving Device (Sept. 3, 1985)

          Patent 4,666,425 Device For Perfusing An Animal Head (May. 19, 1987)

 

February 4, 2008
 

PLP Pgs. 106-155
         
February 11, 2008
 

Claim Drafting Homework Packet #1 Due

PLP Pgs. 155-205

February 19, 2008 (Tuesday)

Handout Claim Drafting Homework Packet #2

PLP Pgs. 207-256

February 25, 2008

PLP Pgs. 257-299         

         
March 3, 2008
 

PLP Pgs. 299-356

Claim Drafting Homework Packet #2 Due
         

March 10, 2008

PLP Pgs. 357-416

March 17, 2008
 

No Class Spring Break
      
March 24, 2008

Claim Drafting Problems Handout

Review Novelty and Obviousness

March 31, 2008

Handout Claim Drafting Homework Packet #3

MPEP 800-809.02(e), 1500-1504.03        

April 7, 2008

PLP Pgs. 1045-1092

         
April 14, 2008

PLP Pgs. 1092-1140

Claim Drafting Homework Packet #3 Due

April 21, 2008
 

PLP Pgs. 1141-1192
         
April 28, 2008

PLP Pgs. 1193-1238