The American Intellectual Property Law Association (AIPLA), headquartered in Crystal City, Arlington, Virginia, is a U.S.,

voluntary Voluntary may refer to: * Voluntary (music) * Voluntary or volunteer, person participating via volunteering/volunteerism * Voluntary muscle contraction See also

* Voluntary action * Voluntariness, in law and philosophy * Voluntaryism, reje ...

bar association constituted primarily of

lawyers A lawyer is a person who practices law. The role of a lawyer varies greatly across different legal jurisdictions. A lawyer can be classified as an advocate, attorney, barrister, canon lawyer, civil law notary, counsel, counselor, solicitor, ...

in private and corporate practice, in government service, and in the academic community. AIPLA represents individuals, companies and institutions involved in the practice of

patent A patent is a type of intellectual property that gives its owner the legal right to exclude others from making, using, or selling an invention for a limited period of time in exchange for publishing an enabling disclosure of the invention."A ...

trademark A trademark (also written trade mark or trade-mark) is a type of intellectual property consisting of a recognizable sign, design, or expression that identifies products or services from a particular source and distinguishes them from othe ...

copyright A copyright is a type of intellectual property that gives its owner the exclusive right to copy, distribute, adapt, display, and perform a creative work, usually for a limited time. The creative work may be in a literary, artistic, educatio ...

, and

unfair competition Unfair may refer to: * Double Taz and Double LeBron James in multiverses ''fair''; unfairness or injustice Injustice is a quality relating to unfairness or undeserved outcomes. The term may be applied in reference to a particular event or situ ...

law Law is a set of rules that are created and are enforceable by social or governmental institutions to regulate behavior,Robertson, ''Crimes against humanity'', 90. with its precise definition a matter of longstanding debate. It has been vario ...

, as well as other fields of law affecting

intellectual property Intellectual property (IP) is a category of property that includes intangible creations of the human intellect. There are many types of intellectual property, and some countries recognize more than others. The best-known types are patents, cop ...

. Members represent both owners and users of intellectual property.

History

AIPLA was formed in 1897 as the American Patent Law Association. The name was formally changed in 1983 to AIPLA. The purpose of the organization, as set forth in the Articles of Incorporation, is “to maintain a high standard of professional ethics, to aid in the improvement in laws relating to intellectual property and in their proper interpretation by the courts, and to provide legal education to the public and to its members on intellectual property issues.”

Governance

AIPLA is governed by a board of directors and has a staff of 8, headed by an

executive director Executive director is commonly the title of the chief executive officer of a non-profit organization, government agency or international organization. The title is widely used in North American and European not-for-profit organizations, though ...

. AIPLA has over 60

committees A committee or commission is a body of one or more persons subordinate to a deliberative assembly. A committee is not itself considered to be a form of assembly. Usually, the assembly sends matters into a committee as a way to explore them more ...

which provide education to members and formulate proposed positions for the Board of Directors to consider adopting as association policy. Q. Todd Dickinson, formerly the

Under Secretary of Commerce for Intellectual Property The Under Secretary of Commerce for Intellectual Property, or USC(IP), is a senior official in the United States Department of Commerce and the principal advisor to the United States Secretary of Commerce on the intellectual property matters. In t ...

and Director of the

United States Patent and Trademark Office The United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) is an agency in the U.S. Department of Commerce that serves as the national patent office and trademark registration authority for the United States. The USPTO's headquarters are in Alex ...

, was named Executive Director in 2008. Dickinson announced his decision to step down in a July 14, 2014 press release. Lisa K. Jorgenson was named as the new Executive Director during the AIPLA 2014 Annual Meeting. Vincent Garlock was named as the new Executive Director in September 2020.

Publications

The association circulates the following publications to all members: * AIPLA Quarterly Journal *AIPLA eBulletin *AIPLA Report of the Economic Survey

Recent presidents

*2019-2020: Barbara A. Fiacco *2018-2019: Sheldon H. Klein *2017-2018: Myra H. McCormack *2016-2017: Mark L. Whitaker *2015-2016: Denise W. DeFranco *2014-2015: Sharon A. Israel *2013-2014: Wayne P. Sobon *2012-2013: Jeffrey I.D. Lewis *2011-2012: William G. Barber *2010-2011: David W. Hill *2009-2010: Alan J. Kasper *2008-2009:

Teresa Stanek Rea Teresa Stanek Rea is the former Acting Under Secretary of Commerce for Intellectual Property and former Acting Director of the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO). Rea obtained her Bachelor of Science degree in pharmacy in 1976 fro ...

*2007-2008: James Pooley
; Retrieved 7.18.12

References

External links

* {{Authority control Intellectual property organizations