America Invents Act Primer

Sarah Hasford has been involved in the field of patent law for almost ten years. She began her career working as a Patent Examiner at the United States Patent and Trademark Office in Alexandria, Virginia where she examined patent applications directed to heterocyclic pharmaceutical and agricultural compounds. After working as an Examiner, Sarah attended law school at Franklin Pierce Law Center (now known as the University of New Hampshire School of Law). While in law school Sarah interned for the Honorable Arthur J. Gajarsa of the United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit. Upon graduating from law school, Sarah entered private practice in the Washington, D.C. area. Sarah’s practice spanned all aspects of patent law, including patent prosecution, opinion work, and litigation with an emphasis on pharmaceutical patent litigation under the Hatch-Waxman Act. In 2015, Sarah left law firm practice to pursue her passion for educating non-legal professionals about patent law.

1. Introduction to the America Invents Act2. Transitioning U.S. Patent Law From a “First-to-Invent” to a “First-Inventor-to-File” System Under the AIA 3. The AIA’s Impact on the Novelty and Non-Obviousness Patentability Requirements4. The AIA’s Effects on Patentable Subject Matter and the Patentability Requirements Set Forth by 35 U.S.C. § 112 5. The AIA’s Impact on Post-Grant Proceedings6. The AIA’s Effects on Claims That May Be Brought in Patent Infringement Suits 7. AIA’s Modifications to Patent Infringement Defenses8. AIA’s Changes to Patent Prosecution Practices 9. The AIA’s Changes to Inventor Oaths and Declarations and Patent Application Filings by Non-Inventors10. Miscellaneous Provisions of the AIA