Merchant & Gould Offers Power Breakfast Meeting on New TTAB Rules

Minneapolis-based Merchant & Gould appears to be the first firm to cross the bridge to the brave new world of the TTAB rule changes. M&G will host a Power Breakfast Presentation entitled: Understanding the "Miscellaneous Changes to Trademark Trial and Appeal Board Rules" on Friday, August 17, 2007 from 9AM to 11AM. Breakfast and validated parking provided. Details here. M&G announcement below:

Mary Tyler Moore statue

On August 1, 2007, the Trademark Office published significant procedural changes to the rules of practice for Trademark Trial and Appeal Board proceedings. *** The changes, which become effective as early as August 31, 2007, include:

* Party service of Notices of Opposition, Petitions for Cancellation

* Mandatory settlement/discovery conference at the beginning of the case

* Mandatory Initial Disclosures before a party can undertake traditional discovery

* Expert disclosures, including identification and summary of subjects on which witnesses will testify

* Pretrial disclosures before each testimony period

* Making the Board standard protective order applicable in all pending Board cases

Learn how the new rules will change TTAB practice and discuss strategies in view of the changes.