[Random-bits] US PTO roundtable on businss methods - panel members

[James Love]

Yesterday the US Patent and Trademark Office told me that my nomination
to participate as a panel member at the July 27 US PTO roundtable on
business methods patents was rejected.  Here is a list of the people
that the USPTO has approved to participate on the roundtable
discussion.  While it is true that there are a few business methods
patent critics included, such as Tim O'Reilly, plus some thoughtful
academics such as Thomas and Lerner or professional organizations such
as IEEE, there are zero persons from consumer organizations included. 
In contrast, the various industry groups were permitted to speak for
themselves, or send their agents, including several, such as Kupfeschmid
(representing SIIA) or Kushan (clients include Merk, PhRMA and others),
who are ex PTO employees.  One wonders what broad spectrum of opinion
the US PTO is listening too if it feels comfortable in completely
excluding consumer organizations from participation.
 
 Jamie
 

	PANEL 
	NAME	AFFILIATION

Armitage, Robert	Eli Lilly
Banner, Pamela I.	Banner & Witcoff, LTD
Goldberg, Eric M.	American Insurance Association
Keyack, Albert	DirectWeb, Inc.
Kuester, Jeffrey R.  Thomas, Kayden, Horstemeyer & Risley, LLP
Kupferschmid, Keith  Software & Information Industry Association (SIIA)
Kursman, Scott	Securities Industry Association (SIA)
Kushan, Jeffrey P. Powell, Goldstein, Frazier & Murphy, LLP
Laurie, Ron	Skadden, Arps
Lerner, Joshua	Harvard Business School
Linck, Nancy	Guilford Pharmaceuticals
Menell, Peter	University of California School of Law
Nydegger, Rick	Wortman, Nydegger & Seeley/AIPLA
O'Reilly, Tim	O'Reilly Publishing
Reidinger, Jerry A.  Perkins Coie
Romain, Patrick	Merrill Lynch
Sander, Scott T.  Sightsound.com
Tenney, Glenn	IEEE
Thomas, Jay	George Washington University Law School
Wallach, Steven I.  Pennie & Edmonds, LLP


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James Love, Director           | http://www.cptech.org
Consumer Project on Technology | mailto:love@cptech.org 
P.O. Box 19367                 | voice: 1.202.387.8030
Washington, DC 20036           | fax:   1.202.234.5176
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