Design Patent Obviousness Analysis: The Path Forward Following LKQ v. GM

Beth Ferrill is a partner in Finnegan’s Washington DC office.  She counsels clients who hold design patents as well as those accused of infringement. Her practice includes prosecution of families of design patents before the USPTO, directing prosecution in foreign countries, arguing appeals before the PTAB, and taking design patent infringement cases through trial in district court.  Beth is the recipient of Intellectual Property Owners Association (IPO)’s Carl B. Horton Distinguished Service Award and has been recognized by Intellectual Asset Management Patent 1000 as a leader in patent litigation and transactions in the D.C. area, and nationally for design patents. She is the Editor-in-Chief of Comparative Global Design Law, published by Bloomberg law, leads Finnegan’s veterans pro bono program, and serves as co-chair of Finnegan’s litigation section. 

Brendan O'Dea is a partner at Womble Bond Dickinson with a patent practice focused in the mechanical and electromechanical arts, as well as in industrial designs.  In guiding his clients from their initial concepts to concrete strategies for managing their intellectual property portfolios, Brendan practices at all stages before the U.S. Patent Office, provides legal opinions on patent validity and non-infringement, and advises with regard to commercialization and licensing.  Outside of his work with clients, Brendan teaches a course on patent prosecution in the engineering department at Georgia Tech.  Brendan received his B.S. degree in Mechanical Engineering from Lafayette College and his J.D. degree from Brooklyn Law School. 

Perry Saidman is a recognized pioneer in design law. He has more than 40 years of experience providing design protection and enforcement strategies.  His expertise in design patent prosecution issues facilitates resolution of difficult or unusual cases when it comes to enforcement. As a prolific author and speaker, and in his private practice, Perry takes on many seemingly intractable design law issues of the day, including functionality, anticipation, obviousness, infringement and damages. He is very active in bar associations, including the Design Rights Committee of the IPO and AIPLA’s Industrial Designs Committee which he founded in 1989. He has taught Design Law as an adjunct professor at G.W. Law School, and testified before the House Judiciary Committee regarding the auto replacement parts bill. His most recent papers involve the hot button issues of design patent anticipation, the written description requirement under sec. 112, functionality, and determining the article of manufacture under  35  U.S.C.  289.  He also  authors  a  blog  at designlawperspectives.com covering recent design law cases and happenings.