Grand Entrance: High Hopes for President Obama’s Pick for USPTO Director
David Kappos, nominated to become the next Under Secretary of Commerce for Intellectual Property and Director of the United States Patent and Trademark Office, addressed the Senate Judiciary Committee on July 29 as part of his confirmation hearing. As I had mentioned in an earlier post, Mr. Kappos previously served as IBM’s vice-president and assistant general counsel for intellectual property.
Among other things, Mr. Kappos vowed to root out counterfeiting and piracy, highlighted his plethora of qualifications, and tackled questions about potential conflicts of interest with regard to future IBM patents. He intends to pursue an international anti-piracy strategy, working in conjunction with many foreign governments, particularly those in Asia. Many senators reacted favorably to Mr. Kappos and his confirmation appears to be imminent. The panel is expected to vote on Kappos in early August.
Mr. Kappos’ resume certainly is impeccable, and he seems to be saying all the right things about his upcoming position. His plate will definitely be full as budget concerns at the USPTO loom over all policy decisions. I only hope that his ambitions aren’t just pipe dreams and that concrete actions will be taken to make good on his promises!
