I’ve been informed that, contrary to what many expected, Senator Leahy will be taking over the Chair of the Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on Intellectual Property, with Senator Coons moving to a newly reconstituted Privacy, Technology, and the Law Subcommittee.
Senator Leahy was one of the authors of the 2011 America Invents Act (AIAAmerica Invents Act of 2011. AIA made modest reforms, most notably moving the U.S. to a first-inventor-to-file system more aligned with foreign practice, but also including expanding prior user rights to all patent-eligible subject matter, and instituting a post-grant review proceeding.), and may wish to refocus the committee on the changes that have been made to AIAAmerica Invents Act of 2011. AIA made modest reforms, most notably moving the U.S. to a first-inventor-to-file system more aligned with foreign practice, but also including expanding prior user rights to all patent-eligible subject matter, and instituting a post-grant review proceeding. trials like inter partes review over the past few years. He could also shift the Subcommittee’s focus away from patents and towards other areas of intellectual property.
The Republican Ranking Member for the Subcommittee is expected to be selected early next week.
