To follow the developments in ADR practice throughout the world and report matters of interest; to participate in WIPO's development of an ADR service for international IP cases; to undertake education via articles and speeches by which to educate Section members with respect to ADR; to recommend resolutions and take such other actions as the developments in the area may suggest.

Seeking Members for IP Section Copyright Committee

As the new chair of the IP Section Copyright Committee, I would like to invite anyone interested in participating on the committee who has not yet contacted me to do so at ghoffmann@fulbright.com. Anyone interested in copyright law is welcome -- you don't need to be an expert in the area or even have a large practice in copyright. Our first task will be to decide what the committee's focus and role should be. One suggestion has been to start a statewide chapter of the Copyright Society of America, but we need your suggestions and input to make this committee a valuable part of the State Bar.

The Intellectual Property Law Section of the State Bar of Texas will award two $2,500 scholarships, each to a woman and/or minority law student. Any woman or member of a recognized minority group, including but not limited to African Americans, Hispanics, Asian Americans, and Native Americans who intends to practice IP law in the State of Texas, is eligible to apply. Applicants must be enrolled in an ABA-accredited law school in Texas at the time the application is submitted. Thus, persons who have been accepted to law school but have not yet started classes at the time the application is filed are ineligible. However, persons who have graduated at the time the scholarship is awarded are eligible for the scholarship.

The purpose of this scholarship is to facilitate and encourage women and minorities to enter the practice of intellectual property law in Texas, and to become active members of the State Bar IP Section, by assisting these students with their financial needs. Selection criteria of the scholarships include: merit, scholastic performance, and financial need. Consideration is also given to extracurricular activities both inside and outside law school.

This application should be completed and sent to the IP Section’s Women and Minority Scholarship Selection Committee, c/o Hope Shimabuku, 3800 Lincoln Plaza, 500 N. Akard Street, Dallas, TX 75201-6659

The scholarships will be awarded at the Annual Meeting in Houston on June 27, 2008.

Identify trends in intellectual property litigation areas, with an emphasis on trends uniquely impacting IP litigators in Texas.  Identify views of our members respecting these trends, and advocate change and/or inform the Section, where appropriate.  Prepare articles concerning intellectual property litigation in Texas for publication in the Section’s newsletter.  Facilitate professional relationships among members

Encourages existing members to maintain their Section membership and the growth of the Section by the addition of new members; provides information and assistance regarding employment of prospective employers and employees; and coordinates with the Section Secretary and Treasurer the annual updating, publishing and distribution of the directory of the Intellectual Property Law Section of the State Bar of Texas.

Writes, edits, publishes and distributes newsletters to regularly communicate with Section membership regarding relevant news and information.

The ABA has published a list of guidelines and issues for consideration when drafting patent opinions of (in)validity and (non)infringement. In particular, the “Proposed Guidelines for Written Opinions on Patent Invalidity/Non-Infringement” from the ABA Section of Intellectual Property Law (Committee No. 651 – Special Committee On Attorneys’ Opinions) is published as part of the 2002-2003 Annual Report, and is available here. While the guidelines are a “work in progress” which the ABA intends to update to reflect the Knorr-Bremse decision and to incorporate new principles of patent law, the guidelines are still a helpful tool for consideration by the practitioner.

Any bar members interested in the intellectual property opinions and best practices regarding same are invited to join the Opinion Committee by contacting either Committee Chair Tom Felgers (tom.felger@bakerbotts.com) or Vice Chair David Ostfield (David.Ostfeld@arlaw.com).

Monitors the proposed legislation and treaty provisions pertaining to patent law revision and recommend supporting, opposing and amendment resolutions thereto; and initiates resolutions for proposed patent law legislation in view of judicial decision, court and administrative agency practices.

Provide pro bono services to low-income individuals.

Monitors the statutes and judicial decisions relating to unfair competition and trade secrets, and particularly, but without limitation, including protection of trade secrets and other information maintained in confidence, interferences with contractual relations, trade dress confusion, product simulation, trade libel and slander; advises the membership of important developments related to unfair competition and trade secret law; and proposes resolutions for legislative or other action related to unfair competition and trade secret law.

The most current articles from the Journal reporting on recent developments in patent, trademark, and copyright law are posted on this website. You may view other articles and abstracts from past issues of the Journal at http://www.utexas.edu/law/journals/tiplj.