Table of Contents
Open Community Calendar
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Message from the President Keith Toms
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Message from the Editor
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Letter of Past Presidents Supporting Name Change
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EU-US Data Transfers: New Executive Order Enhances Protections, But Will It Suffice?
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Jason Gish will be presenting on Software as a Service
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U.S. Federal Circuit: Artificial Intelligence Machine Is Not An Inventor
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Judges Celebration Event Summary
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BPLA’s 2022 Invented Here! Event Recap
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Diversity Event at Boston College Law School
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Invented Here! Sponsorship Ads
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List of Officers and Board of Governors and Committees
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Job Listings
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Dear Members of the BPLA,
These signature events remind us that one of the BPLA’s core purposes is to foster a connection among the people and institutions that make up the intellectual property community. When we gather together to honor the contributions of judges and innovators, we forge connections with the judiciary, the innovation community, and each other.
In another event about connection, the Law School committee also recently hosted its Making Connections event. This event introduces law students to the BPLA and IP practitioner community. It is a special event for the students because, for many, it is their first exposure the diversity of careers available in intellectual property law. It is also an important event for the BPLA, as it is our opportunity to make a first impression on the attorneys who will, hopefully, be the future of our Association.
Participating in the Making Connections event, however, underscored the importance of the initiative to change our name to the Boston Intellectual Property Law Association. It was apparent that many of the students had misperceptions about our organization stemming from the BPLA name. Afterwards, several students expressed their support for the name change, and many confided their reservations about attending a patent law association event, even when there was a panel expressly about non-patent careers in IP. This echoes what Professor Karol wrote earlier this year, that, in his experience working with law students, the BPLA name “pushes away many future layers (and potential members) interested in the non-patent IP fields.”
Frankly, we cannot afford to push potential members away. Our membership has decreased significantly since COVID. While I am hopeful that we will see a rebound as things edge toward normal, I have deep concerns that changes in the profession, including how and where we work, could have a long term impact for bar association participation. Embracing the entire intellectual property community is essential for the BPLA to remain a vibrant, effective, and relevant bar association. And, besides, pushing any intellectual property practitioner away is simply incompatible with our mission of building connections.
The vote on the name change will take place at our Annual Meeting, which is coming up on December 7, 2022. I encourage you all to attend, especially since we are lucky to have Arthur Daemmrich from Smithsonian Institution as our keynote speaker. Arthur will be providing a fascinating historical perspective on why different innovation centers and industries have grown up in different locations.
If you are not able to attend, however, remember to cast your proxy vote for the name change. You can access the form to cast your vote here.
Keith Toms
BPLA President
