What Mattered in 2017: Industry Insiders Reflect Biggest Moments in IP

Bob Stoll, partner and co-chair of the intellectual property group in Washington, D.C., contributed to an IP Watchdog article titled “What Mattered in 2017: Industry Insiders Reflect Biggest Moments in IP.” Bob is featured among other industry experts who reflect on key moments and events on the intellectual property landscape in 2017.

Bob recognizes multiple key moments, including a few Supreme Court cases that have changed the patent landscape. He names TC Heartland v. Kraft Food and Impression Products v. Lexmark to the list as most notable, both significant for their potential to overturn longstanding patent law. Noting key moments in the legislative arena, Bob says, “Probably the most important event to the IP community in 2017 was the inauguration of President Trump.” Although Congress did not enact significant IP legislation in 2017, Bob states that President Trump’s decision to appoint Andrei Iancu as the director of the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office could affect IP policy for decades to come. This nomination could aid in furthering administration policies and help improve the IP system outside of standard legislative processes.

Read “What Mattered in 2017: Industry Insiders Reflect Biggest Moments in IP”