Last week, President Obama signed into law the patent reforming Leahy-Smith America Invents Act (HR 1249). Although the legislation is a sweeping reformation of the nation’s patent laws, several patent attorneys believe it is too early to determine how the legislation will impact their work.
“Now that we have the legislation, let’s see what happens with it,” said Patrick Kelly, a partner with Ballard Spahr’s Philadelphia office. “There is ambiguity in the words and what they mean. The Patent and Trademark Office will have to make some new rules, which they are working on. Let’s see what those rules say and what the effects of those rules are.”
