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| National Association of Patent Practitioners | |
|---|---|
| Name | National Association of Patent Practitioners |
| Abbreviation | NAPP |
| Formation | 1990s |
| Type | Professional association |
| Headquarters | United States |
| Region served | United States |
| Membership | patent practitioners |
National Association of Patent Practitioners is a U.S.-based professional association representing patent agents, patent attorneys, patent paralegals, and patent examiners. The organization operates within the milieu of United States Patent and Trademark Office, engages with stakeholders such as American Intellectual Property Law Association, American Bar Association, European Patent Office, World Intellectual Property Organization, and interacts with legislative bodies like the United States Congress and executive agencies including the Department of Commerce. NAPP's activities relate to communities and institutions including Stanford University, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Harvard Law School, University of California, Berkeley, and professional entities like Google, IBM, Intel, and Microsoft.
The association emerged during debates involving the Patent Reform Act era and shifts after decisions such as KSR International Co. v. Teleflex Inc. and Alice Corp. v. CLS Bank International. Founders included former practitioners from firms such as Finnegan and Fish & Richardson, and alumni of offices including the United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit and the United States Patent and Trademark Office. Early milestones paralleled events like the passage of the Leahy–Smith America Invents Act and policy initiatives originating from the National Institutes of Health, International Trade Commission, and academic centers such as Columbia Law School and Yale Law School. The association has navigated attorney regulation trends influenced by institutions like the Federal Trade Commission, Securities and Exchange Commission, and decisions from the Supreme Court of the United States.
NAPP states objectives aligned with promoting best practices recognized by entities including the Patent Trial and Appeal Board, the Federal Circuit, and standard-setting organizations like IEEE and ISO. Its mission references collaboration with professional societies such as the American Intellectual Property Law Association, National Academy of Inventors, and Association of Corporate Counsel to support practitioners working with inventors from institutions like Johns Hopkins University, Princeton University, University of Michigan, and corporations such as Apple Inc., Samsung, and Qualcomm. The association emphasizes competence standards and access issues connected to statutes like the Patent Act and administrative frameworks including the Administrative Procedure Act.
Membership categories reflect roles present across firms like Kirkland & Ellis, Jones Day, Baker McKenzie, and corporate legal departments at Amazon (company), Facebook, Tesla, Inc.. Governance structures mirror nonprofit models used by organizations like American Bar Association and Association of Corporate Counsel, with boards composed of former examiners from the United States Patent and Trademark Office, litigators who have appeared before the United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit, and academics from Georgetown University Law Center, George Washington University Law School, and Cornell University. Committees coordinate with bar associations such as the New York State Bar Association and professional groups like the International Trademark Association.
NAPP conducts training and continuing education events similar to curricula at Practising Law Institute and conferences comparable to those hosted by American Intellectual Property Law Association and Intellectual Property Owners Association. Programs include patent prosecution workshops referencing procedures at the Patent Trial and Appeal Board, patent litigation seminars examining precedent from the Supreme Court of the United States and the Federal Circuit, and patent drafting clinics partnering with law schools such as University of Pennsylvania Carey Law School and Northwestern University Pritzker School of Law. Collaboration extends to technology transfer offices at Massachusetts Institute of Technology and corporate innovation groups at IBM and Microsoft Research.
The association has filed amicus briefs in matters before the Federal Circuit and the Supreme Court of the United States and has submitted comments to the United States Patent and Trademark Office and the Department of Commerce concerning rules adopted under the Leahy–Smith America Invents Act. Its policy positions engage with legislative proposals debated in the United States Congress, administrative rulemakings influenced by the Federal Trade Commission, and international IP norms from the World Intellectual Property Organization and the World Trade Organization. NAPP has taken positions on issues like claim construction informed by cases including Markman v. Westview Instruments, Inc. and patent eligibility discussions tied to Mayo Collaborative Services v. Prometheus Laboratories, Inc..
NAPP publishes newsletters and practice guides analogous to materials from the American Bar Association and Practising Law Institute, distributes alerts on decisions from the United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit, and issues white papers addressing standards such as those from ISO and technical communities like Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers. Communications reach members at firms like Finnegan, Fish & Richardson, Kilpatrick Townsend & Stockton, and corporate departments at Intel and Google. The association leverages collaborations for research with centers including Berkman Klein Center for Internet & Society and journals such as the Harvard Law Review and Yale Law Journal.
NAPP confers honors recognizing practitioners whose work intersects with institutions like the United States Patent and Trademark Office and achievements acknowledged by organizations such as the American Intellectual Property Law Association and the National Academy of Inventors. Awardees have included contributors from firms like Finnegan and academics from Stanford University, Harvard University, and Columbia University. Recognition programs parallel prizes issued by entities like the MacArthur Fellows Program, the National Medal of Technology and Innovation, and university-level awards from Massachusetts Institute of Technology and University of California, Berkeley.
Category:Professional associations based in the United States