$95.00 - Webinar Archive - 4/27/16 - Patent Prosectuion Conflicts of Interest for Clients Having Competing Technologies
Original air date: April 27, 2016
Join USPTO Deputy Director Office of Enrollment and Discipline William R. Griffin, and Patent Attorneys Mercedes K. Meyer (Partner at DrinkerBiddle) and Frederick W. Gibb (Partner at Gibb & Riley) for this presentation on conflicts of interest for clients who have competing technologies, especially in regards to patent prosecution. While conflicts of interests that attorneys face in criminal defense or domestic relations situations can be readily understood, in the realm of patent prosecution, and especially for patent professionals dealing with large multinational corporations, the issues surrounding the rules of professional responsibility for conflicts of interest are less clear. Therefore, discussion topics will include: the ABA Model Rules regarding conflicts of interest, along with corresponding rules established by the USPTO, as well as attorney duties to current clients and former clients. Numerous caselaw and disciplinary decision examples will also be examined that explain conflicts of interest, whether an attorney-client relationship actually exists, representation of competing clients using screening walls, etc. These examples provide the tools and information to help attorneys from running afoul of their ethical obligations.