[A2k] Public Patent Foundation Affiliates With Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law

[Soenke Zehle]

Subject: PUBPAT News: Public Patent Foundation Affiliates With Benjamin
N. Cardozo School of Law
Date: Fri, 01 Aug 2008 12:05:59 -0400
From: Public Patent Foundation (PUBPAT) <info@pubpat.org>

PUBLIC PATENT FOUNDATION AFFILIATES WITH BENJAMIN N. CARDOZO SCHOOL OF
LAW: Relationship Provides PUBPAT New Home and Cardozo Students Expanded
Patent Experience

NEW YORK -- August 1, 2008 -- Beginning this summer, the Public Patent
Foundation ("PUBPAT") has moved =E2=80=9Cin-house=E2=80=9D at Benjamin N. C=
ardozo School
of Law, starting what we hope will be a long, productive affiliation
between the non-profit legal services organization and Cardozo=E2=80=99s
Intellectual Property Program.

Founded in 2003, PUBPAT works to protect the public from the harms
caused by errors in the patent system.  The organization files requests
at the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) for =E2=80=9Creexaminations=
=E2=80=9D of
issued patents where PUBPAT has uncovered evidence that the patent does
not meet the statutory standards of utility, novelty, and
non-obviousness.  PUBPAT has been particularly active in scrutinizing
patents in medical technologies where it believes the patent claims are
either invalid or too broad.  The non-profit has also filed amicus
briefs in important patent cases and been involved in patent law reform
efforts in Washington.

Cardozo=E2=80=99s relationship with PUBPAT goes back to 2005, when Professo=
r
Justin Hughes recruited PUBPAT's Executive Director, Dan Ravicher, to
join the IP Program=E2=80=99s adjunct faculty.  Since then Ravicher has bee=
n
teaching the =E2=80=9CPatent Practicum,=E2=80=9D an advanced patent course =
in which
students are assigned clinical projects in which they review specific
patents or patent portfolios for validity issues.  Student work product
from the course has been used by PUBPAT in its requests for USPTO
reexamination proceedings.  The =E2=80=9CPUBPAT at Cardozo=E2=80=9D affilia=
tion will
expand on this experience and offer Cardozo students more opportunities
for practical patent law experience under Ravicher=E2=80=99s guidance.

=E2=80=9CI'm extremely pleased that Cardozo has opened its arms to PUBPAT a=
nd
offered us a home from which we can base and expand our public service
work,=E2=80=9D said Ravicher.

According to Cardozo vice dean Michael Herz, =E2=80=9CPUBPAT=E2=80=99s work=
 to improve
the patent system through patent office proceedings gives students great
clinical training while serving the public good.=E2=80=9D

Cardozo has also appointed Mr. Ravicher, who recently landed on IP Law
and Business Magazine=E2=80=99s list of the =E2=80=9CTop 50 Under 45=E2=80=
=9D for 2008, as a
Lecturer in Law and Associate Director of the Intellectual Property Law
Program.  He will assist Professor Hughes, who directs the program.
Professor Hughes has also joined PUBPAT's Board of Directors.   =E2=80=9CPU=
BPAT
and Cardozo=E2=80=99s IP program are a natural fit,=E2=80=9D commented Jay =
Thomas, a
professor of patent law at Georgetown University.

More information on PUBPAT and on Cardozo can be found on their
respective websites: www.pubpat.org and www.cardozo.yu.edu.

Contact:

Daniel Ravicher, Executive Director
Public Patent Foundation
Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law
(212) 790-0442
info@pubpat.org
http://www.pubpat.org

About the Public Patent Foundation

The Public Patent Foundation ("PUBPAT") is a not-for-profit legal
services organization working to protect the public from the harms
caused by errors within the patent system, particularly the harms caused
by undeserved patents and unsound patent policy.  PUBPAT provides the
general public and those specific persons or businesses otherwise
deprived of access to the system governing patents, with representation,
advocacy, and education.  To be kept informed of PUBPAT News, subscribe
to the PUBPAT News List by sending an email with "subscribe" in the
subject line to news@pubpat.org. To be removed from the PUBPAT News
List, send an email with "unsubscribe" in the subject line to
news@pubpat.org.

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