news & insights

Keeping on top of the latest laws and technological advances is part of our everyday jobs. Our
collaborative environment allows for efficient knowledge transfer.

01

USPTO Proposed Fee Increases for 2025

The USPTO has announced its Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) for raising fees in 2025.  The NPRM retains most of the fee adjustments that were first proposed in 2023, with only a few changes made in response to input from the Patent Public Advisory Committee (PPAC).  The fees are significant and can greatly impact some […]

learn more
02

Jenn Deal Taking the Stage at INTA 2024 Annual Meeting

Thomas|Horstemeyer is excited to announce that their own Jenn Deal will be taking the stage at the upcoming International Trademark Association (INTA) Annual Meeting right here in Atlanta.  Jenn will be part of a moderated discussion delving into a crucial topic that resonates deeply with legal professionals worldwide: IP and Innovation | Difficult Conversations in the […]

learn more
03

Thomas | Horstemeyer Grows by Adding Atlanta-Based IP Boutique Brient IP

ATLANTA, GA—Atlanta-Based IP boutique Brient IP Law recently joined Thomas|Horstemeyer, bringing with them former partners from Alston & Bird, Kilpatrick Townsend and Virginia-Based CowanPerry.  Brient IP served its clients for almost 15 years, often being called on to protect the most important IP assets of Fortune 500 and well-funded startup companies.  The addition will enhance […]

learn more
February 21, 2024

David Pointer Contributes to “AI Patenting Handbook” White Paper for IPO

The Intellectual Property Owner’s Association (the “IPO”) recently published a white paper on patenting artificial intelligence (“AI”) inventions, entitled the “AI Patenting Handbook.” David Pointer, a partner at Thomas Horstemeyer, is a contributing author for the white paper.  Specifically, David Pointer co-authored the portion of the white paper discussing district court decisions related to AI […]

January 31, 2024

USPTO Enablement Guidelines Post-Amgen

The USPTO Has Issued New Guidelines for Assessing Enablement in View of the Supreme Court Decision in Amgen Inc. v. Sanofi et al. On January 10, 2024, the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) published Guidelines for assessing enablement in view of the Supreme Court’s 2023 decision in Amgen Inc. et al. v. Sanofi […]

December 19, 2023

The Design Patent Bar

On November 16, 2023, the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) announced a rule that will allow individuals with a design background to practice before the USPTO.  Specifically, the rule announces that persons can now sit for the patent bar when they have a bachelor’s, master’s, or doctoral degree in the field of: However, […]

December 15, 2023

USPTO Announces New Atlanta Regional Office

On December 13, 2023, the USPTO announced the creation of two new regional offices – one in Atlanta and the other in Stafford County, New Hampshire.  The expansion of the USPTO to include regional offices offers a number of benefits to examiners, practitioners, and inventors alike.  Moreover, the selection of Atlanta underscores the city’s significance […]

November 27, 2023

Welcome Richard Timmer, Ph.D!

Thomas|Horstemeyer welcomes Rick Timmer, Senior Patent Agent, rounding out our chemical team to five Ph.D. Chemists.  Rick brings with him over 25 years of experience in the chemical and life sciences industries including more than 15 years in patent preparation and prosecution with three national law firms.  Rick also managed patent portfolios for biotechnology start-ups […]

November 20, 2023

New Guidance for Designs of Graphical User Interfaces

The USPTO has published supplemental guidance for examining design patent applications of Graphic User Interfaces (GUIs) On November 17, 2023, the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) published supplemental guidance on how design patents “related to Computer-Generated Electronic Images, Including Computer-Generated Icons and Graphical User Interfaces” should be examined.  Under the supplemental guidance, the […]

November 12, 2023

Artificial Intelligence Related District Court Case Update

To date, there have been relatively few patent lawsuits relating to artificial intelligence. With the emergence of various artificial-intelligence-based software entering the market, it will be interesting to see how courts interpret artificial-intelligence-based patents and the issues that emerge from the court proceedings.  The following set of artificial-intelligence-related cases are from district courts of different […]

IP EVENTS

International Trademark Association (INTA) – Annual Meeting

05.18.2024 - 05.22.2024 | Georgia World Congress Center 285 Andrew Young International Blvd NW Atlanta, Georgia, USA

Intellectual Property Owners Association (IPO) – Annual Meeting

09.22.2024 - 09.24.2024 | Hyatt Regency Chicago 151 E Wacker Drive Chicago, IL 60601 USA

American Intellectual Property Law Association (AIPLA) – Annual Meeting

10.24.2024 - 10.26.2024 | Gaylord National Resort & Conference Center 201 Waterfront Street National Harbor, MD, USA