TechAmerica's Technology and IP Committee presents a workshop on patent basics.

This 4-hour workshop will describe, in depth, the entire patent system, from its reason for existence to how to create strong patents as valuable corporate assets.

During the first hour of the workshop you will learn: - Why the US has an intellectual property system - How patents relate to other forms of intellectual property - How patents are used both offensively and defensively

In addition, three small-group sessions will provide access, in a non-threatening, teaching environment, to industry veterans who will answer questions specific to your industry or business.

SMALL GROUP BREAK-OUT SESSIONS: Steps to take before filing a patent application (led by Matthew Rabdau, Tektronix and Thaine Allison, MTI, Inc.) - When and how to document inventions - How to decide whether a patent application should be filed - How to work with inside or outside patent counsel

How to draft a patent application (led by Jim Stewart, Ater Wynne LLP and Rick Boyd, Ater Wynne LLP) - How to develop an application that will ultimately issue as a patent - Why are claims so hard to read (and how to read them)

How to successfully navigate an application through the Patent Office (led by Kevin Ross, Marger Johnson & McCollom PC and Joe Makuch, Marger Johnson & McCollom PC) - How examiners use "Prior Art" - How to best respond to Patent Office rejections - How to prosecute a patent that will withstand an invalidity attack

Finally, participants will take home a packet of valuable materials specific to developing an in-house patent system.

Who shoud attend: - Engineers new to the patent system - Engineering managers - Managers having IP responsibility - VCs who seek in-depth knowledge about the patent system - Small business owners and entrepreneurs

Thank you Marger Johnson & McCollom PC for sponsoring this event.

About the Event: In challenging economic times and as competition grows fiercer, many companies find that enforcement of their intellectual property rights is critical to their success. Knock-off products, often from companies outside the United States, eat into sales. But defending your intellectual property is not inexpensive. Three of Portland’s leading companies will tell you how they defend their domestic and foreign markets quickly, efficiently, and inexpensively, and how to make these strategies work on any scale.

What will you learn? - How to diversify your IP portfolio to put your company in the best position to defend your markets - How to use the laws of foreign jurisdictions to stop infringing products where they are manufactured - How to use the fastest, most cost-effective IP enforcement actions available

Panelists: - Tom Evans, Corporate Patent Attorney at Mentor Graphics will relate lessons from Mentor’s patent infringement lawsuit in China and describe how Mentor uses its IP portfolio to defend its markets around the world.

• Julianne Davis, Assistant General Counsel/Intellectual Property at Nike, Inc. will tell you why you should add design patents, trademark registrations, and copyright registrations to your IP portfolios, and how Nike uses its diverse portfolio to police its markets in the US and around the world.

• John Motley, Associate General Counsel & Director of Intellectual Property at Columbia Sportswear, will talk about Columbia’s successful use of Thai and other foreign patent and trademark law to combat infringement where products are manufactured.

• Tigran Guledjian, a partner at Quinn Emanuel in Los Angeles, practices extensively in complex intellectual property litigation with an emphasis in high technology patent litigation. Tigran will discuss his efforts on behalf of Seiko Epson and other clients to use the International Trade Commission to obtain and use exclusion orders to stop infringing products at the border.

Moderator: - Brenna Legaard is a partner at Chernoff Vilhauer McClung & Stenzel, an intellectual property law firm in Portland, Oregon. A seasoned trial lawyer, Brenna brings significant real-world experience to her patent prosecution and opinion practice and routinely helps start ups and publicly traded clients alike prioritize their IP budgets and cost-effectively enforce their rights against infringers.

Cost: $50 TechAmerica members and LES Industry members, $110 nonmember technology companies

To Register: Call TechAmerica Oregon, (503) 624-4871.

If you are interested in sponsoring this event, please contact [email protected], (503) 624-5715.

More than just a hot topic and in the news, Social Media, led by its poster children Facebook® and Twitter ®, has quickly become an integral part of our society. While the use of these tools has become pervasive in our social interactions and many companies have integrated these methods into their outbound marketing strategies, there are fewer examples where Social Media has been used to drive innovation within a technology company.

You will hear from both the industry perspective and the media/marketing perspective on how companies are and should be using these new social media tools foster innovation on company products, services, distribution and customer service. They will discuss collaboration, creating community environments, data mining, facilitating customer feedback and how to integrate this information and collaboration into the company’s product/service development culture. Learn to balance the opportunity promised by Social Media with the real need to protect your Intellectual Property.

Join us for this informative breakfast meeting and learn how your organization can make the most of this powerful tool.

Speakers: - Kent Lewis, President, Anvil Media, Inc. - Matt Hixson, Senior Manager, Business Development, Tripwire, Inc. - Allan Schrock, Sr. Researcher, Nike, Inc.

Event Details: When: Wednesday, October 20, 2010 Time: 7:30 - 10:00 a.m. Where: Oregon Zoo, Portland, Or Cost: $45 TechAmerica Members, $75 Nonmembers

To Register Call: TechAmerica Oregon (503)624-5715.

Treating the three categories of IP (trademark, copyright, and design patent) as individual strategies is one way of protecting your IP however these same three categories can be used synergistically to create a cohesive IP policy that will provide greater protection overall.

Learn from Craig Morris, Managing Attorney for Trademark Outreach United States Patent and Trademark Office as he kicks off the Trademark, Copyright, and Design Patent Boot Camp on February 14th. Craig will give a general overview identifying the differences between the three categories as well as domain names and business registrations. He will discuss the basic process and strategy for protecting each, review basic considerations for each, and discuss how they should be used collectively for maximum protection.

Additional Topics: •To register or not to register •How to enforce? •Importance of selecting a strong mark, that is, both federally registrable and legally protectable •Whether an attorney should be used when doing the initial search •Potential grounds for the USPTO to refuse registration •What may happen if another trademark owner believes it has stronger rights •How to avoid scams perpetrated by companies the request fees for services not required by the USPTO

Concluding Craig Morris’s overview there will be three breakout sessions which will focus on how each category applies to one product, i.e. iPod, Nike shoes, Coke bottle, etc. The outcome of the sessions is to demonstrate how a design patent can and should be linked to trademark and copyright.

Small Group Breakout Sessions Design Patents Session: Leads: Katie Maksym, Nike and Brenna Leggard, Lane Powell LLP •How best to cover a product design with a design patent •What strategies can be employed to broaden and maintain coverage through small design iterations? •Strategies for extending coverage for functional features through the use of decorative features •Aspects of the design patent process that can tie in trademark or copyrights and how this can provide enhanced coverage of the product

Trademark Session: Leads: Jay Rafter, Stoel Rives LLP and Nate Moceri, Stoel Rives LLP •How best to integrate trademark into the actual product design •Can the design itself be a trademark? •Explanation of product configuration trade dress •What strategies can be employed to broaden coverage and maintain coverage over time? •Aspects of trademark that can tie in design or copyrights and how this can provide enhanced coverage of the product

Copyright Session: Leads: Jay Smith-Hill, Lane Powell LLP •Now that you have a design and trademark, how do you tell the world about it? •How can the use of copyrights extend the reach of a design over multiple media outlets (website, marcom, YouTube videos, etc.)? •Aspects of copyright that can tie in design or trademark and how this can provide enhanced coverage of the product

Who should attend?

• Engineers new to the IP System
• Engineering managers
• Marketing professionals
• Managers having IP responsibility
• Small business owners and entrepreneurs

Event Details: When: Thursday, February 14, 2013 Time: 7:30 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. 7:30 a.m. - 8:00 a.m. - Networking and Breakfast 8:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. Program, break-sessions and Q&A Where: TBD, Portland, OR Cost: $75 Members | $150 Nonmembers

Supporting Sponsor:
OTBC

A cost effective resource for basic IP training that would otherwise be coordinated and produced in-house. This 4-hour workshop will describe, in depth, the entire patent system, from its reason for existence to how to create strong patents as valuable corporate assets.

The first hour of the workshop will be a general overview of the patent system and will be lead by Vincent Chiappetta, Professor of Law, Willamette University.

Content will include:

• Why the US has an intellectual property system
• How patents relate to other forms of intellectual property
• How patents are used both offensively and defensively

In addition, three small-group sessions will provide access, in a non-threatening, teaching environment, from industry veterans who will answer questions specific to your industry or business.

Small Group Breakout Sessions

Steps to take before filing a patent application Lead: Brenna Legaard, Lane Powell PC •When and how to document inventions •How to decide whether a patent application should be filed •How to work with inside or outside patent counsel

How to draft a patent application Leads: Thaine Allison, Director Technology, SB&I, Nike Jay Rafter, Stoel Rives LLP •How to develop an application that will ultimately issue as a patent •Why are claims so hard to read (and how to read them)

How to successfully navigate an application through the Patent Office Leads: Kevin Ross, Marger Johnson McCollom PC Rick Boyd, Ater Wynne LLP •How examiners use "Prior Art" •How to best respond to Patent Office rejections •How to prosecute a patent that will withstand an invalidity attack

Participants will take home a packet of valuable materials specific to developing an in-house patent system.

Who should attend? • Engineers new to the patent system •Engineering managers •Managers having IP responsibility •VCs who seek in-depth knowledge about the patent system •Small business owners and entrepreneurs

Event Details: Date: October 9, 2013 Time: 7:30 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. 7:30 a.m. - 8:00 a.m. - Networking and Breakfast 8:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. Program, break-sessions and Q&A Location: World Trade Center, 121 SW Salmon Street, 2WTC, Mezzanine 2, 3, and 4, Portland, OR 97204 Cost: TAO Members $55 | Nonmembers TAO $85 To Register: www.techoregon.org

Sponsor: Marger Johnson & McCollom PC

Regardless of the size or stage of your company’s life-cycle, intellectual property is important. The development of, the documentation of, and the management of your IP is critical to the success of your business and how it is evaluated for future transactions (funding or strategic).

Please join other entrepreneurs and engineering managers for this insightful workshop.

We will hear from: Julia Voutyras, IP Attorney, Ford Motor Company on the process they implemented to reinvent themselves into one of the most innovative car manufacturers in the world. Jennifer Yruegas, General Counsel, Coaxis and formerly with Sol Republic where in both of these positions she worked with her product development teams to utilize innovation to strengthen their position against must larger competitors. Anna McCoy, Attorney, Alleman Hall McCoy Russell & Tuttle LLP who will outline IP innovation as a strategic tool and how to manage and drive productive innovation.

Additional Topics will Include: How to prioritize innovation How to track and implement innovation The importance of IP to your valuation The workshop will end with an information panel discussion so be bring your questions for this esteemed panel.

Join us on August 21st as we welcome Senator Merkley who will give the opening remarks on patent reform and solicit ideas from you, the local technology community that he can bring back to Washington DC. In addition, an esteemed panel will answer questions regarding the current patent system, give insight on what the future could hold, and give sound advice on valuation, monetization, and patent strategies for you and your company. Panelists:

Joel Meyer, Executive Vice President IP, Digimarc - With thousands of Digimarc patents to manage, Joel will share his insight on the current patent system and give sound advice on how to get the most out of your patents.

Andrew Green, Counsel, United States Senate - Andrew serves as Legislative Counsel to Senator Jeff Merkley (D-OR), where he is focused on the Senator’s patent work, trade and business law matters.

Check back for a complete list of panelists

Event Details: When: Thursday, August 21st Time: 7:30 AM – 10:30 AM Where: Multnomah Athletic Club, 1849 SW Salmon St., Portland, OR 97205 Cost: $25 Members | $55 Nonmembers

Intellectual Property is a vital part of a company's value. Not only are Patent and Trademark portfolios crucial to protecting a company's intellectual property asset but they can also be a key revenue generator.

With the large growth in IP transactions and deals, companies are now looking at creating stronger ROI from their IP portfolios. As a result, IP leaders are being held more accountable for the revenue generated from their portfolios and companies are looking for ways to monetize their patents that would otherwise sit on the shelf.

Some companies begin their monetization process by developing their portfolios. Techniques such as brainstorming, patent mapping, core technology charting, filing decisions and continuance planning are some of the methods used to prepare for an IP monetization strategy. These steps should be completed before attempting to monetize any part of the portfolio. This seminar will explain and address these techniques.

The seminar will also assist you in creating an IP monetization strategy that meets your business goals. This includes defensive planning.

Topics that will be addressed at the seminar:

• How to strategically build an IP Portfolio • Selection, analysis and valuation of targets and your IP portfolio • Options for monetization • Benchmarks of a strong monetization program • Limiting the risks of monetization • Defense posture and what you can do now to limit your target profile • What to do if you receive a “cease and desist or infringement letter” • Lowering legal and settlement costs

Presenters: * Steve Taylor , Principal, IPStrom * **Joe Shallenburger, Chief Patent Counsel, IPStrom

Who should attend? General Counsel, CTOs, VPs of Engineering and CEOs who are interested in changing their IP department from a cost center to a profit center.

Event Details: When: Wednesday, December 3, 2014 Where: The Multnomah Athletic Club, 1849 SW Salmon St, Portland, OR 97205 Time: 7:30 – 10:00 AM | 7:30 AM registration, networking, and breakfast | 8:00 AM Panels and Q&A Cost: $25 Members | $45 Nonmembers

Almost every entrepreneur out there wants to protect their intellectual property, but the balance of time, energy and money spent on it can be taxing. Join our Digital Health and Technology and IP Communities as they invite a team of experts and explore a variety of topics around patenting software in the current market. Hear the different options of IP protection, including insights for what has worked best for a variety of growth companies.

Questions to be answered during this session:

-What does the current software patent and protection landscape look like? -How do you protest your software’s IP? -How can a small startup compete with big companies with protection? -What protection is available for OEM and resale vs. software you plan to sell to end users?

Thank you to our sponsors! Cushman & Wakefield - http://www.cushmanwakefield.com/

Registration is located here: https://www.techoregon.org/events/options-protection-and-software-ip

The attorneys over at Miller Nash are looking to refine their knowledge in regards to the legal needs of startups here in town.

Along with Oregon Story Board, Miller Nash is hosting a gathering for local entrepreneurs and startups to both gain a better understanding of your needs as well as answer a few of your own questions.

There will be four different attorneys from Miller Nash in the areas of Intellectual Property, Tax and General Business, General Business and Securities, and Employment in attendance.

Space is limited, so register now.