Licensing Executives Society Applauds Introduction Of The
STRONGER Patents Act of 2019
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he Licensing Executives Society (U.S.A. and Canada), Inc. (LES) commends Senator Coons, Representative Stivers and other co-sponsors for reintroducing the bipartisan STRONGER Patents Act of 2019 in the Senate and the House of Representatives. We commend these members of Congress for their leadership, and for their collaborative spirit in securing co-sponsors from both sides of the aisle in both houses of Congress.
If enacted, this legislation will strengthen the U.S. patent system, reduce abuse, and ameliorate many of the unintended consequences that have crept into the U.S. patent system since the passage of the American Invents Act (AIA), and as a result of a series of unfortunate court decisions. With the STRONGER Patents Act of 2019, Congress will re-affirm innovation and intellectual property rights as pillars of the American economy, and will regain its proper role in setting prudent IP policy.
Slate Of Officers And Directors For 2019-2020
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s Chair of the Nominating Committee, I would like to extend my gratitude to the other participants of the Committee, Bob Held, Gary Fedorochko, Tanya Moore and Michele Gunness for their thoughtful contributions, as well as all members of the Society and the Board of Directors who submitted recommendations for new Directors and Officers. Also, thanks to Gillian Fenton, who was an advisor to the committee. After careful deliberations, the Nominating Committee proposes the following slate of candidates for election to the 2019-20 term: President and Chair President-Elect and Chair-Elect Past-President and Past-Chair
Gary Fedorochko Gillian Fenton
Bob Held
The following are new nominations for election to the Board: Ann Cannoni
Lalit Gaur
Evelyn Chen
Karthika Perumal
Ian DiBernardo
Karen Temple
All of the above candidates have been advised of their nomination, and have agreed to serve their term, if elected.
Current & Standing Leadership of LES (U.S.A. and Canada) Board of Directors Secretary, Kevin Spivak
Treasurer, Mike Pellegrino
Louise Levien
Eric Victory
Scott Williams Jim Bratton
Annemarie Meike
Lesley Millar-Nicholson
Legal Counsel, Rachel Kreppel Although you never leave the family, the most difficult part of the nominating process is the non-renewal of terms for Board Members who have shown outstanding dedication and commitment to LES. However, bringing on new Directors is necessary to the progress of LES—it not only recognizes active contributors to the organization, but also ushers in fresh ideas for the management of our Society. Retiring from the Board this year are Annie Gauthier, Matthew McNeill, Paul Roberts and myself. We gratefully acknowledge their many years of service on the Board, and their invaluable contributions to the Society’s membership engagement, communications and technology. My Board service terminates by operation of the Bylaws with the conclusion of my term as Immediate Past President. Respectfully submitted, Bill Elkington, Chair, Nominating Committee
11 | September 2019
The American inventor is the embodiment of the pioneering spirit that made the U.S. economy the envy of the world. Our innovative spirit has been fueled by a patent system conferring a valuable property right on inventors - the right to exclude others from exploiting the inventor’s creation. Without that property right, innovation withers, investment declines, and economic activity is diminished. By increasing the strength and durability of U.S. patents, inventors more actively create, the public enjoys these creations, and new industries flourish. LES is committed to working with Congress and the executive branch on initiatives to further improve the U.S. patent system, including industry self-regulation to build consensus and to promote prudent IP practices (LES Standards Initiative, https://www.lesusacanada.org/page/lesstandards). Over the past several years, the U.S. patent system has lost its place as the perennial world leader in value, reliability, and durability. (https://www.theglobalipcenter.com/u-schamber-releases-2019-international-ip-index/). We need to reserve that trend. The STRONGER Patents Act of 2019 is an important step in that direction.
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