Japanese and American Lawyers Publish First Practical Guide to US Patents for Japanese Attorneys

US Patent Expert and Japanese Attorneys Pen Complete Guide to US Patent Procedure
 
WASHINGTON DC (August 8, 2005) — Mr. Motohiko Fujimura, Mr. Shigeyuki Nagaoka (both of Fujimura & Associates), Ms. Kay Konishi (of Miyoshi & Miyoshi) and Mr. John G. Smith (of Drinker Biddle & Reath LLP) announced today the publication of the Practical Guide to US Patent Procedure For Japanese Practitioners.

The book is a collaborative effort between the Japanese attorneys and US patent expert to provide a concise, yet wide-ranging source of useful information on US patent law for both new and experienced Japanese practitioners.

“This book is going to be an unprecedented catalyst aligning American and Japanese business interests—from entrepreneurs to biotech companies to law firms,” said John G. Smith, US contributor and Intellectual Property partner at Drinker Biddle. “The patent laws of the United States are detailed, precise and constantly evolving. This guide allows practitioners to understand the basics of our system and will provide a backbone for future endeavors into the American patent world.”

The chapters of the book, a soft-back quick reference guide, address such areas as patentability, prosecution, reissue, reexamination, interference, patent term adjustment, and litigation.  Also included throughout the book are insets that provide useful, practical suggestions and discussion on certain types of issues that arise in the course of a US practitioner’s practice.  Many of these insets address questions that have been posed to the authors by clients and colleagues in both the US and Japan, making the text particularly valuable for those abroad with interest in the US patent system.

The collaborators each have extensive experience in practicing patent law in their respective countries.  The three Japanese authors, Mr. Fujimura, Mr. Nagaoka and Ms. Konishi, are experts in Japanese business and patent law who approached Mr. Smith, a former patent examiner at the US Patent Office, to collaborate on this effort. Mr. Smith currently serves clients both in the US and Japan.

The book was originally published in Japanese on August 8, 2005.  The book is available on the Japanese amazon.com website.