2025 Annual Meeting November 2025

Dear friends, colleagues, and fellow members, 

In his first public remarks since becoming USPTO Director, the Honorable John A. Squires, addressed a sold-out luncheon during the AIPLA Annual Meeting. Just five weeks into his tenure as the agency’s 60th Director, Squires emphasized that the USPTO remains open for business—even amid the government shutdown—thanks to operational reserves and the dedication of its examiners, attorneys, and staff. 

Squires outlined his early agenda aimed at restoring focus on the agency’s core mission of patent examination and reducing the record-high backlog of unexamined applications. Under his leadership, the USPTO has already hired more than 1,100 new examiners, enhanced AI-based search tools, and launched the ASAP Search Pilot, which provides prior art transparency earlier in the process. 

Drawing parallels between innovation and economic vitality, Squires described the USPTO as the “Central Bank of Innovation”—an engine that converts creativity into capital, jobs, and progress. He reaffirmed the agency’s commitment to embracing artificial intelligence responsibly, calling AI “the Roy Kent of human technology—it’s here, it’s there, it’s everywhere.” 

Squires closed by inviting inventors, practitioners, and global partners to engage with the Office, reaffirming his vision for a USPTO that is transparent, tech-driven, and open to new ideas. 

Jacqui Kappler, Chief Democratic Counsel, Subcommittee on Courts, Intellectual Property, and the Internet, addressed the Opening Plenary remarking on the unpredictability of innovation and the need for predictability in law. She noted that in free societies, people can be unpredictable because laws are predictable— citizens expect fairness and stability from their government. Kappler emphasized that while unpredictability drives innovation, recent years have seen increasing uncertainty in intellectual property law, particularly in the patent system. This unpredictability, she cautioned, risks stifling innovation by undermining investor confidence and weakening the long-term reliability of IP rights. 

She also discussed the challenges posed by generative AI, highlighting how current IP frameworks assume only humans possess intellect. As AI rapidly advances, she said, lawmakers must ensure that regulations protect human creators without enabling misuse, such as deepfakes and deception. The House Subcommittee on Courts, Intellectual Property, Artificial Intelligence, and the Internet continues to examine how AI fits within existing IP frameworks. Kappler closed by thanking attendees for their work in helping turn “crazy ideas” into reality.

Friday Luncheon Keynote — Remarks by Sandris Laganovskis, Director, Institutional and Cooperation Department, European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO) 

Sandris Laganovskis highlighted the deep partnership between the United States and the European Union, emphasizing shared values of democracy, freedom, and protection of intellectual property rights. He provided an overview of IP trends in the EU, noting strong growth in trademark and design applications—approximately 10%, marking one of EUIPO’s best years. The Office, now over 1,000 employees strong, recently surpassed five million total applications in its 30-year history and serves a market of more than 450 million people. 

Laganovskis discussed the EUIPO’s commitment to innovation through IT investments, anti-scam initiatives, and international cooperation with over 100 IP offices worldwide. He highlighted the Office’s reputation for responsiveness, and its approach to AI as a tool to assist, not replace, examiners. Looking ahead, he noted the EU Design Reform and EUIPO’s strategic plan to build an inclusive, diverse, and sustainable IP system adaptable to users’ needs. 

The AIPLA Patent Agents Committee took the stage for a live taping of the Posita Podcast, featuring incoming AIPLA President Sal Anastasi in a candid conversation hosted by Brian Trotter and Ali Smythe. 

Sal shared personal stories from his journey in IP—from his Philadelphia roots and love of flying to the mentorship that first introduced him to AIPLA. He reflected on the friendships and professional growth that come from getting involved beyond CLE programs and encouraged members to engage creatively within the Association. 

Looking ahead to his presidency, Sal emphasized advocacy, membership, and education as key areas of focus, along with listening to the next generation of IP professionals. He also discussed how AI continues to reshape the legal landscape, urging practitioners to embrace it as a tool that enhances rather than replaces their expertise. 

The live audience enjoyed an energetic session filled with insight, humor, and leadership perspective—setting the tone for an exciting year ahead for AIPLA and the IP community. 

Moderated by Phil Petti, AIPLA’s Special Session for Law Students brought together a panel of IP professionals who shared their personal journeys into the world of intellectual property law. 

Panelists Melissa Buss, Paul Kitch, Christal Sheppard, Rushi Sengupta, Greg Allen, Kim Arriola, and Stephanie Curcio represented a range of experiences spanning engineering, policy, corporate law, entrepreneurship, and academia. Their stories offered both practical and personal insight—whether it was pursuing law school at night while working full-time, pivoting from science to policy, or founding an AI-driven legal tech company. 

A recurring theme throughout the discussion was flexibility and curiosity—that there is no single “right path” into IP. Some panelists discovered the field through mentors, while others pursued it with deliberate intent from day one. They emphasized the importance of building relationships, finding mentors, and staying open to unexpected opportunities along the way. 

The session concluded with small-group discussions that allowed students to ask questions directly and a mock interview exercise that offered real-world tips for entering the field with confidence.