Associate Caitlin Wilmot was selected to participate in the PTAB oral argument boot camp directed to Ex parte appeals on March 26, 2021, as part of the PTAB's Legal Experience and Advancement Program (LEAP) initiative.
Unveiled in 2020, the LEAP initiative encourages new oral advocacy opportunities for patent attorneys and agents and provides training and oral advocacy opportunities for less experienced advocates to gain practical experience in proceedings before the PTAB. To qualify as a LEAP practitioner, a patent agent or attorney must have: three or fewer substantive oral arguments in any federal tribunal, including the PTAB, and seven or fewer years of experience as a licensed attorney or agent. Oral hearing boot camps are organized jointly by the PTAB and the PTAB Bar Association.
The March 26 boot camp will be conducted over video conference and practitioners will be able to present arguments before sitting PTAB judges and obtain invaluable feedback post-argument.
To learn more about the LEAP initiative, please see their page on the USPTO website.