On March 30, 2023, the Legislative Committee of the BIPLA presented a lively and informative virtual panel discussion on IP Legislative Process, Priorities and Updates in the 118th Congress.  

The panelists, all current or former counsel in Congress, were: Brad Watts, former Republican Chief Counsel on the Senate Judiciary Committee Subcommittee on Intellectual Property; John Lee, Chief Counsel for Intellectual Property of the House Judiciary Committee; Franci Rooney, Counsel for the Senate Judiciary Committee on Immigration, Citizenship and Border Safety Subcommittee and IP Counsel to Senator John Cornyn; and Philip Warrick, former USPTO IP Counsel Detailee to U.S. Senator Chris Coons.

The program was well-attended and the audience appreciated the panelists’ candor and thoughtful answers.  Each panelist provided fascinating insights regarding the federal intellectual property legislative process, which they stated was long and iterative. They discussed cooperation between the parties, and noted how IP issues do not necessarily split along party lines. In fact, many factors can influence how legislators think about IP, including personal philosophy, district geography, and constituent representation, rather than just party affiliation.