Minutes of the Annual Meeting

Index

Community Calendar

Table of Contents

Message from the President Daniel Young

Case Law Club Meeting

Message from the Editor

In-House Committee January Roundtable

Minutes of the Annual Meeting

Members on the Move

2020 New Member Welcome

Patenting Highly Engineered Antibodies in Europe

Pro Bono Spotlight

Job Listings

Well-Being Tips for Law Students & Lawyers to Endure Winter

Officers and Board of Governors

Community Calendar

Reckoning Patents as Public Franchises

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Closing the Patent Loophole Across Borders

NEWSLETTER ARCHIVE

Volume 52, Issue 1

Minutes of the Annual Meeting

Friday, December 11, 2020 By Zoom

I. CALL TO ORDER

President Michael Bergman called the meeting to order at 12:00 PM and welcomed all those in attendance.

President Bergman provided a President’s Report, in which he thanked everyone for coming and discussed the BPLA’s efforts this year. He mentioned BPLA’s engagement and online activities, which have proceeded despite the challenges of the pandemic this year. He reported on the BPLA’s recent diversity and inclusion efforts, another successful year of Invented Here!, and amicus and Patent Office practice committee submissions. He introduced the BPLA past presidents in attendance, recognized committee chairs, and introduced individuals on the virtual dais:

Register of Copyrights Shira Perlmutter;
Michael Bergman, President;
Daniel Young, President-Elect;
Keith Toms, Vice President;
Deirdre Sanders, Immediate Past President;
Rebecca McNeill, Treasurer;
Josh Dalton, Secretary;
Rachel Emsley, Board Member;
Emily Whelan, Board Member; and
Derek Roller, Board Member.

II. SECRETARY’S REPORT

President Bergman introduced Secretary Dalton. Secretary Dalton moved to waive the reading of the minutes from the 2019 BPLA Annual Meeting, which were published in the BPLA Newsletter. The motions to waive the reading and approve the meeting minutes were made and carried. The minutes from the 2019 BPLA Annual Meeting were accepted.

III. TREASURER’S REPORT

Secretary Dalton introduced Treasurer McNeill. Treasurer McNeill reported that in 2020 the BPLA had income of $154,686 and expenses of $165,013 for a loss of $10,327 with $146,464 in remaining assets. Treasurer McNeill offered to share copies of the financial documents with the members. Hearing no requests, Treasurer McNeill requested motions to waive the reading of the balance of the Treasurer’s Report and accept the Report, which were made and carried. The Treasurer’s Report was accepted.

IV. WRITING COMPETITION

Treasurer McNeill introduced Board Member Whelan to announce the winners of the BPLA’s Annual Writing Competition. Board Member Whelan said that there was an excellent field of strong entries. She announced that the BPLA selected as the first place paper “Reckoning Patents as Public Franchises” by Evan Charles Jones, PhD, Northeastern University School of Law, and as the second place paper “Closing the Patent Loophole Across Borders” by Mattias Rättzén, Harvard Law School LLM. Messrs. Jones and Rättzén attended and were introduced and recognized on video.

V. KEYNOTE SPEECH

President Bergman introduced Register of Copyrights Shira Perlmutter. In her remarks, Register Perlmutter gave an update on activity in the Copyright Office, which is marking its 150th anniversary this year. She addressed the Office’s pandemic response, processing times, modernization, policy work, Section 1201 rulemaking, and international activity. She was then presented virtually with the Patriot Plate in thanks and recognition for her work at the Copyright Office.

VI. NOMINATING COMMITTEE REPORT AND ELECTION

President Bergman introduced Immediate Past President Sanders. Immediate Past President Sanders thanked the 2020 Officers and Board Members for their service. She noted Mr. Young’s automatic elevation, according to the rules of the Association, to the office of President. She also noted President Bergman’s automatic placement on the Board of Governors as Immediate Past President. She presented the slate of Officers that had been approved by a unanimous vote by the nominating committee consisting of Past Presidents Sanders, Rory Pheiffer, and Monica Grewal, as follows:

President-Elect: Keith Toms;
Vice President: Rebecca McNeill;
Treasurer: Josh Dalton;
Secretary: Emily Whelan;
Board Member: Michael Bergman;
Board Member: Derek Roller;
Board Member: Kristin Salvaggio; and
Board Member: Valarie Rosen.

Immediate Past President Sanders moved for acceptance of the nominations of the Officers and Board Members, as well as the election of the nominees, which was made and carried. Thus, in accordance with the Bylaws of the Association, the 2021 Board of Governors of the BPLA was duly elected.

Outgoing President Bergman virtually passed the BPLA presidential gavel to incoming President Young. President Young thanked Immediate Past President Bergman for his dedication and leadership, particularly during the pandemic. President Young virtually presented Immediate Past President Bergman with a BPLA chair in gratitude for his service.

VII. REMARKS OF THE INCOMING PRESIDENT

President Young thanked Outgoing President Bergman and all of the past presidents of the Association for their work on behalf of all of the members. He thanked Register Perlmutter for her insightful speech. He welcomed new board members Salvaggio and Rosen. He also thanked outgoing Board Members Sanders and Emsley, the 2020 committee chairs, and Constance Brennan and Maureen Mazza for their assistance.

President Young discussed his goals for the BPLA in 2021. First, he expressed commitment to continued activity on amicus briefs, comments to agencies, and diversity and inclusion initiatives. Second, he cited hope for a move toward an annual symposium as a way to promote increased interaction among members in varying disciplines of intellectual property. Third, he highlighted the importance of lawyer well-being and a planned emphasis on programming to support mental and physical health of our members.

VIII. ADJOURNMENT

President Young moved to adjourn at approximately 1:25 PM and the motion carried, concluding the 2020 Annual Meeting.

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