WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 5, 2008, 9:15 a.m.

DUDAS EXPECTED TO LEAVE USPTO BY JANUARY -- If tradition holds, yesterday’s election of BARACK OBAMA as President of the United States will result in USPTO Director JON W. DUDAS leaving his post by January.  An outgoing President normally asks his appointees to submit their resignations by January 19, the day before the inauguration of the new President and resignations normally are accepted.  Dudas is the only official in the USPTO appointed by the President after Senate confirmation.  The Deputy Director, also a politically-appointed position, is appointed by the Secretary of Commerce.  Deputy Director MARGARET PETERLIN already announced her resignation this fall.  Commissioner for Patents JOHN DOLL and Commissioner for Trademarks LYNNE BERESFORD are appointed by the Secretary of Commerce for 5-year terms that are not tied to the date of election of the President.  It is not known whether the Obama administration will reappoint them when their terms expire. 

IP SUITS -- Compiled from newswire reports and other sources:

Yesterday it was reported that a jury found that Ariba was entitled to $4.9 million in damages from Emptoris in a patent infringement suit involving electronic auctions. (Computer Business Review Online)

IP IN THE NATIONAL MEDIA:

Today the Wall Street Journal published a story entitled, “New Domain Names Put Name Brands in a Bind.”  According to the story, “To protect their reputations, some companies may have to buy up millions of dollars of web sites with suffixes like “.bank.”  (Washington, DC print edition, page B4)

BARREDA MOLLER JOINS IPO -- Barreda Moller, of Lima, Peru (primary contact Jose Barreda) has become a law firm member of IPO. 

HOTEL ROOMS FOR PTO DAY AND PATENT INTERFERENCES CONFERENCES, DEC. 1-2 -- Today is the last day to make a reservation with the Willard Intercontinental for PTO Day and the Patent Interferences Conference.  Call 1-800-827-1747 to make your reservation.  Reference “Intellectual Property Owners Association” to receive the group rate of $269/night.  Visit www.ipo.org/ptopi2008 for program details and to register for the conference.

PATENT INTERFERENCES CONFERENCE DEC. 2 -- The Patent Interferences conference in Washington, DC, on December 2, 2008 will feature a panel on perspective from corporate practitioners. Speakers include GERALD E. DEITCH, DuPont; MICHAEL J. BLAKE, Eastman Chemical Co.; SANDRA WELLS, Affymetrix, Inc.  Visit www.ipo.org/ptopi2008 for program details and to register for the conference.

LANDMARK BILSKI CASE TO BE DISCUSSED AT DEC. 1 PTO DAY CONFERENCE -- One of the sessions at the December 1 "PTO Day" program in Washington, DC, will include Wayne Sobon, Accenture Inc., who will give a presentation on “Patentable Subject Matter After In re Bilski.”  Visit www.ipoef.org/ptopi2008 for program details and to register for the conference.