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PTAB LEAP Oral Hearing Boot Camp

August 20 to September 17, 2021

Location

Virtual

Credits

No CLE

Registration

Fee: CLOSED. No fee

The PTAB’s Legal Experience and Advancement Program (LEAP) is designed to encourage new oral advocacy opportunities for patent attorneys and agents that have three or fewer substantive oral arguments in any federal tribunal (including PTAB) and seven or fewer years of experience as a licensed attorney or agent. The program allows PTAB judges to grant up to 15 minutes additional argument time, upon request for oral hearing participation by a LEAP-eligible practitioner.

In furtherance of the LEAP initiative, the PTAB and AIPLA are jointly organizing an oral hearing virtual boot camp in which practitioners will be able to present an argument before sitting PTAB judges and obtain invaluable feedback post-argument. The boot camp will be held mainly on Fridays beginning August 20.  The current schedule is below:

  • August 20, 2021, time TBD: Information session for participants, with details regarding mock argument logistics & PTAB oral hearing practice tip

  • September 8, 2021, 10am – 11am ET:  (Optional) LEAP Office Hours

  • September 8, 2021, 12pm – 1pm ET:  Panel discussion “The Night Before Argument: Preparing for your AIA argument” (this session will be open to the public)

  • September 10, 2021, 1pm – 4pm ET: AIPLA/LEAP AIA Trials Mock Argument

  • September 17, 2021, 12pm – 1pm ET:  AIA Oral Argument Encore, in which experienced practitioners argue the same case  (this session will be open to the public)
THE APPLICATION WINDOW HAS CLOSED.  Applications are being reviewed and the USPTO will follow up with applicants once they've completed their review.  If any additional slots become open, we will reopen the application.  Check back for updates.

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