{"id":1145,"date":"2008-10-09T08:03:42","date_gmt":"2008-10-09T13:03:42","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/law.marquette.edu\/facultyblog\/?p=1145"},"modified":"2008-10-09T08:03:42","modified_gmt":"2008-10-09T13:03:42","slug":"priorities-for-the-next-president-an-urgent-measured-innovation-policy-part-ii","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/law.marquette.edu\/facultyblog\/2008\/10\/priorities-for-the-next-president-an-urgent-measured-innovation-policy-part-ii\/","title":{"rendered":"Priorities for the Next President: An Urgent, Measured Innovation Policy (Part II)"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/a>So, to\u00a0take up\u00a0the question I asked yesterday<\/a>, what does “measured urgency” look like?\u00a0 I would offer a few suggestions.\u00a0 First, an independent commission needs to undertake legislative revision of the Patent Act.\u00a0\u00a0The Patent Act of 1952 was an incredibly well-written, concise act.\u00a0\u00a0Current legislation has attempted to graft new procedures onto the Patent Act, which would have the consequence of creating a deeply incoherent act.\u00a0\u00a0The new President should appoint a commission of fairly neutral persons to sit down and decide what will become the Patent Act of 2009, an act that will serve as the framework for the next 50 years of patent law.\u00a0 Such an act should take into account the significant changes that have impacted the patent regime in the 21st century: the increase in agencies regulating the Patent Act, such as the ITC and the FDA; the need to change the role of the USPTO; and the increasing harmonization of patent law in the international environment.\u00a0\u00a0The commission would also increase the legitimacy of the process.\u00a0\u00a0Current patent reform is simply not working.\u00a0 Previous patent reform has often been seen as another cynical attempt by powerful chairpersons to rewrite patent law on behalf of their most powerful donors.\u00a0\u00a0These deeply cynical efforts have been accompanied by a failure to hold transparent and representative hearings.\u00a0\u00a0 A commission would have the benefit of having the ability to channel interest group action in a positive way through open hearings and submitted comments.\u00a0\u00a0Such a commission would also have the ability to stay above what has proven to be a rugby-like scrum on the part of lobbyists to get the narrow best interest for their clients.\u00a0 I am all for an active and healthy self-interest on the part of the interest groups, but there must be a productive way to channel those interests in a way that serves patent law better.<\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n

Second, the President needs to broaden who serves on the Federal Circuit.\u00a0\u00a0 Right now, the Federal Circuit only has\u00a0one judge with substantive patent litigation experience and no judge with significant district court experience.\u00a0\u00a0A wide variety of patent experiences must be represented on the Circuit in order for a diversity of perspectives to be brought to the table in interpretative decision-making.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n

Third (a bit of the corollary to the first), any substantive revision of the patent law must be accompanied by a substantive rethinking of the role of the USPTO.\u00a0\u00a0 The USPTO was envisioned for many years as a passive administrative actor, and its role must be re-defined for the 2lst century.\u00a0 In that process, a key question presents itself: is a new type of patent agency needed?\u00a0 Should we have a patent agency that combines all the fragmented administrative roles (so, for instance, should those ALJs located in the ITC\u00a0who decide patent and trademark cases be moved to the USPTO)?\u00a0 Should the USPTO begin to negotiate patent treaties (instead of the USTR)?\u00a0\u00a0Might it be time to think of an Innovation Agency?\u00a0\u00a0Of course, such an agency might face the same issues that confront Homeland Security, but such an option needs to be on the table given the significant regulatory responsibilities at the heart of the patent regime.<\/p>\n

I end with one thought: we (and I mean you, Mr. New President) have got to think of these issues as if one were scanning a wide landscape, looking at all the tasks of an innovation regime, instead of focusing on one tree or one flower (as we are doing now).\u00a0\u00a0Such an approach would encourage urgency<\/strong>, but also temper it with\u00a0the measured<\/strong> calm always needed in a storm.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

So, to\u00a0take up\u00a0the question I asked yesterday, what does “measured urgency” look like?\u00a0 I would offer a few suggestions.\u00a0 First, an independent commission needs to undertake legislative revision of the Patent Act.\u00a0\u00a0The Patent Act of 1952 was an incredibly well-written, concise act.\u00a0\u00a0Current legislation has attempted to graft new procedures onto the Patent Act, which would 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