Committee Charter Review by Board Liaisons
Nick Godici
March, 2016
Patent Agents Committee
Charter from AIPLA web site:
To create and provide educational resources and professional development opportunities to AIPLA members and the broader Patent Agent Community with the aim of: (a) developing a better understanding of the role played by Patent Agents in all aspects of acquiring and managing a patent portfolio; and (b) advocating for Patent Agent member’s interests within, and valuable contributions to, the intellectual property community.
- How does the committee's charter support the strategic plan?
Disseminating information and providing professional development opportunities to patent agents is consistent with the member services prong of the strategic plan.
- Is there more that can be done to advance the committee's work in those areas?
The committee is limited by the number of patent agents actively participating in stated meetings and in leadership roles within AIPLA. Expansion of our membership might best be accomplished by partnering with other committees with which patent agents can be paired to work on projects of mutual interest. Examples include the USPTO-relations, biotech, chemical, the international practices, and patent law or patent litigation committees. In addition, we should work toward finding new, creative ways to allow patent agents to more fully participate in AIPLA, when many do not have sufficient support or resources to participate in the way their attorney-member counterparts participate.
3. Are there aspects of the committee's charter that are not consistent with the strategic plan?
The Target Subcommittee (TSC) Liaison Program is specifically tailored to achieve this goal of increasing the growth, diversity and membership of the AIPLA through providing opportunities for wider participation in AIPLA committee work. AIPLA is reaching out to patent practitioners in several key areas, including: young lawyers, corporate lawyers, women lawyers, minority lawyers, and law students. Why not reach out to Patent Agents with the same approach? I believe that the Patent Agent Committee should be added as a TSC.
4. If so, would you recommend that the committee continue that work or should we try to redirect the committee towards strategic plan activities?
As a committee, we ask that AIPLA considering using the phrase “Patent Practitioner” in place of “Patent Attorney”. In a recent survey with the Corporate Practice Committee our members were asked about their “role” in their profession – and were only able to answer “other” because the survey wrongly assumed only attorney roles. There are numerous surveys, presentations, etc. where Agents are not mentioned or referenced. Our committee wonders if there is a way we could raise this issue as a reminder to other committee to keep us in mind, especially since Agents are now considered full members.