Thanks to many of you for attending our September 12th breakfast where we heard from leadership at the USPTO and the Copyright Office. Both Robin Evans, Deputy Commissioner for Patents, USPTO and Miriam Lord, Associate Register of Copyrights and Director of Public Information and Education, US Copyright Office, shared updates from their organizations and answered our questions. Special thanks to Board Vice President Emily Whelan and her firm WilmerHale for hosting a beautiful breakfast.
Thank you, as well, to our friends at WIPO, Matthias Reischle-Park and Hanna Kang, for presenting the Annual PCT Seminar on November 6th and 7th. We are so grateful to them for providing an online seminar so our attorneys, patent agents, paralegals, and other administrative staff can get top notch education directly from WIPO on the ins and outs of PCT procedures.
If you are looking for more opportunities to get involved with the BIPLA, I encourage you to volunteer as a cochair for a committee that interests you. We are accepting nominations for cochair positions for 2024. Please nominate yourself or a colleague by emailing board@bipla.org. Our cochairs play a vital role in our organization as education and providing a forum for the exchange of ideas and information concerning IP serve as two main pillars of our mission statement. Our cochairs will also be taking an active role in program planning for our next Symposium, which will be held at Morgan Lewis on April 10-11, 2024. Mark your calendars and join in now!
As I conclude my President year, I would like to thank all of the people who make the BIPLA run smoothly, all of our members for their participation, and all of our sponsors for their support throughout the year. For our 2023 cochairs and Board members, we have a thank you gift to share with you at the Annual Meeting.
Thank you for your ongoing commitment to our association. Please continue to remain active, invite your friends and colleagues, and take advantage of the opportunities our association provides for you. I look forward to hearing from you. You can reach me at president@bipla.org.
Rebecca M. McNeill
President, Boston Intellectual Property Law Association
Editor's Notes | Celebration of the Judiciary | In-House Committee Brown Bag Lunch |
Welcome to the Fall 2023 Edition of the Boston Intellectual Property Law Association Newsletter. Our final newsletter of 2023 provides highlights from our recent breakfast meeting with representatives from the USPTO and Copyright Office, and offers insights on US and international IP practice. We also look ahead to our Annual Meeting on December 6, 2023, and provide the Nominating Committee Report for the 2024 BIPLA Officers and Board of Governors. As we approach year-end, we wish the best to all members of our BIPLA community, and look forward to engaging at BIPLA events and activities as we move into 2024. <<Read More>> | On June 26, 2025, the BIPLA gathered for its annual Celebration in Honor of the Judiciary at the John Joseph Moakley United States Courthouse. Honorable Leo T. Sorokin of the U.S. District Court, District of Massachusetts, was the 2025 recipient of the BIPLA’s Distinguished Public Service Award while Dr. Traci Cipriano, a professor at the Yale School of Medicine and author of “The Thriving Lawyer: A Multidimensional Model of Well-Being for a Sustainable Legal Profession,” gave the keynote speech. The BIPLA would like to thank all of the event’s sponsors for their support. | The in-house committee hosted a hybrid brown-bag lunch meeting at Alnylam Pharmaceuticals to discuss career development for IP practitioners. We considered the career paths to become Head of IP or General Counsel/Chief Legal Officer. We talked about the pros and cons of each path, how to increase the breadth of legal experience needed, and how the size of your company affects exposure to learning experiences. We had great participation from both in-person and online attendees, and an in-house committee happy hour is being planned for late summer. Stay tuned! <<Read More>> |
In-House Committee After Hours | Invented Here! Nominations | 2025 Pro-Bono Award Nominations |
On August 14, the In-House Practice Committee hosted an After Hours event in Kendall Square, Cambridge. It was a beautiful summer evening with lively and engaging conversation, pizza, and drinks in a relaxing environment. We thank everyone who attended. |
The purpose of the Invented Here! Program
is to celebrate New England innovators, their inventions, and the
stories behind their innovations. Through the program, the Boston
Intellectual Property Law Association (BIPLA) is transforming the
nation’s relationship with science and technology and providing
educational opportunities that inform the public of these fascinating
innovators and innovations.
| The BIPLA is accepting nominations for its annual BIPLA Pro Bono Award. It’s time again to recognize those of us providing critical legal services to under-resourced individuals, non-profits, and undeserved communities. |