April 17 Public Hearing in Washington, DC to Focus on Intellectual Property

The Federal Trade Commission today announced the fourth in a series of public hearings exploring the evolving market for intellectual property. These hearings, to be held April 17, 2009, in Washington, DC, will explore how corporations, inventors, and patent intermediaries value and monetize patents, strategies for buying and selling patents, and the role of secondary markets for intellectual property.

Some of the most significant recent changes in markets for intellectual property have occurred through the emergence of new business models involving the buying, selling and licensing of patents. The April 17 hearing also will showcase some of the recent academic scholarship about the development and functioning of markets for intellectual property and the policy implications surrounding them. James E. Malackowski, President and CEO of Ocean Tomo, will deliver the keynote address. An agenda for the hearings is available on the Web site for the hearings and as a link to this press release.

These hearings are part of an ongoing series of public hearings examining changes in patent law, patent-related business models, and new learning about the operation of the IP marketplace since the October 2003 Commission report on the patent system, “To Promote Innovation: The Proper Balance of Competition and Patent Law and Policy.” The Commission held the initial hearing in the series on December 5, 2008, and held hearings on remedies February 11 and 12, 2009. The Commission is holding hearings on March 18-19, 2009, covering the operation of patent markets, with an emphasis on the notice functions of patents. The Commission will hold its last hearing in the series on May 4-5, 2009, in Berkeley, California, in cooperation with the Berkeley Center for Law and Technology.

The Commission is seeking public comments on all issues to be discussed throughout the entire series of these hearings, and in response to any of the topics raised in the Federal Register notice announcing the hearings on the Evolving IP Marketplace. Comments must be received by May 15, 2009, and should refer to “Evolving IP Marketplace - P093900.” The Federal Register notice and information on how to submit written and electronic comments to the Commission are available at the Web site for the hearings, http://www.ftc.gov/bc/workshops/ipmarketplace.

The FTC’s hearings on the Evolving IP Marketplace are free and open to the public. Pre-registration is helpful but not required. All attendees must present a valid photo ID for admission to the agency’s Satellite building, which is located at 601 New Jersey Ave., NW. The hearings will be accessible to people with disabilities. Anyone needing a related accommodation should contact Carrie McGlothlin at the FTC at 202-326-3388 or cmcglothlin@ftc.gov. Such requests should include a detailed description of the accommodations needed and contact information if more information is needed. Please provide advance notice of accommodation needs.

Copies of the documents mentioned in this release are available from the FTC’s Web site at http://www.ftc.gov and from the FTC’s Consumer Response Center, Room 130, 600 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W., Washington, DC 20580. Call toll-free: 1-877-FTC-HELP.