The IIPS is most fortunate to announce that Zhang Yan, Senior IP Law Counsel for IBM, and Marian Underweiser, Counsel in IBM’s IP Law Strategy and Policy will be speaking at our meeting on October 13, 2010, from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m., at the IBM building, 590 Madison Avenue (SW corner, Madison and 57th), New York, New York in Room 1219.  Ms. Yan will offer her expertise on ‘China IP – Landscape and Practice Tips’.  Ms. Underweiser will discuss research underlying the ‘Patent Quality Index’ which the authors believe will enable drafting better patent applications – from the perspectives of examination, enforcement and defense.

Ms. Yan currently handles all aspects of intellectual property law for IBM in China, Hong Kong, Macao, Korea and India.  She has bachelor and master degrees in electrical engineering from Tsinghua University and China Academy of Science, respectively.  She earned a Master of Intellectual Property Law degree from Franklin Pierce, and is qualified as Attorney at Law and Patent Attorney in China. She previously worked as a patent examiner in the China Patent Office and as a division director for international cooperation for the State Intellectual Property Office of China (SIPO).  She chairs the QBPC Patent and Innovation Committee.

Ms. Underweiser is responsible for developing IBM’s strategy on a broad spectrum of IP policy matters, including various aspects of legislative, PTO, and judicial reform.  She co-authored several of IBM’s Supreme Court amicus curiae briefs including eBay v. Mercexchange, KSR v. Teleflex, Bilski v. Kappos, and Quanta v. LG.  Ms. Underweiser received AB and PhD degrees in Physics from Harvard and UCLA, and a JD from Columbia Law School.  She is admitted to practice law in New York, and is registered to practice before the USPTO.  Ms. Underweiser is also an adjunct professor at the Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law where she teaches Technology Licensing.

The fee for non-members is $20.  Admission for law school students is $10.  The nominal $60 annual membership dues fee may be enclosed with the membership application.  Membership entitles you to attend this and other regular meetings during the September 2010 - June 2011 year at no charge.  If you would like to reserve your space and/or pay at the door, or if you have any questions about this program, please contact us at iips@comcast.net.

As with IIPS programs in general, NY and NJ CLE credit will be offered.  This seminar will provide two (2) transitional/non-transitional CLE credits.  Mail the Membership Form with annual dues, or meeting payment by October 3, 2010, to Harris Wolin at Myers Wolin, LLC, 100 Headquarters Plaza, Morristown, NJ 07960.

We look forward to seeing you in October and at other upcoming events and, as in the past, invite comments and suggestions for programs that might be of interest to you.

Sincerely,

Marc J. Block

IIPS President