Greetings and salutations! I hope you have been having a superb Summer, as we look forward to a fantastic Fall. This Summer has been very busy for the BPLA, starting with our Annual Judge’s Dinner. The weather was beautiful for our outdoor mock/cocktail hour by the water. This year’s Distinguished Public Service Award recipient, Judge George O’Toole, Jr., gave a very interesting and thought-provoking speech, and our Keynote Speaker, Nathalia Holt, gave a fascinating presentation. In addition, I am proud to say that we made a donation to the Volunteer Lawyers for the Arts of $2500! The BPLA’s Summer Outing held on the Envoy Hotel rooftop was also a big success, thanks to you, our membership! The event sold out, and we even had a waiting list of eager registrants. As promised, there were festive beverages and snacks, as well as late-night desserts and surprise champagne, but the sparkling conversation among the guests made the event! Fun photos from this event and the Judges dinner can be found . Other events this Spring and Summer included our Breakfast with the Honorable Andrei Iancu in May. Director Iancu was a terrific speaker and fielded many questions with thoughtful answers. The BPLA committees held informative events regarding “Antitrust Scrutiny of Trademark Settlements,” “Practical Measures for Protecting Trade Secrets” and thedecision. Looking forward, the BPLA has an exciting Autumn planned. On October 31 and November 1, we are holding our BPLA Annual Madrid Protocol Session and Annual PCT Seminar -- feel free to attend either or both. These two international seminars couldn’t be more timely, as we approach the October 31 Brexit deadline. To register for the events, please click . The Competition received another strong set of nominations (over 50!) that represent diverse sciences and technologies. Judging is under way and the winning nominees will be honored at one of our most popular events, which will be held this year on November 6th. Please contact the Committee at if you would like to volunteer or sponsor the event. Finally, please save the date for our final premier event of the year, our . Please join us as we finalize our business for the year, and elect next year’s officers, as well as enjoy a tasty luncheon and bond with your fellow BPLA members and colleagues. You can learn more about all the BPLA’s events in this issue of the Newsletter and at the Community Calendar page under the “Meetings and Events” at I look forward to seeing you at these events! Deirdre E. Sanders President, Boston Patent Law Association