Chairman Goodlatte and Industry Leaders to Address Legislative Solutions to Patent Troll Abuse

For Immediate Release:

SIIA Communications Contact: Laura Greenback, 202.789.4461, This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
PR Contact: Farrah Kim, Rational 360, 202.568.8986, This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

 

*** Media Advisory ***

Chairman Goodlatte and Industry Leaders to Address Legislative Solutions to Patent Troll Abuse

SIIA Tech Policy Speaker Series Event on June 4 on Capitol Hill will Feature Lead IP Counsel from Sen. Leahy’s Office, along with Experts from SAS, Oracle, National Retail Federation, and Public Knowledge

Washington, D.C. (May 24, 2013) – On Tuesday, June 4, at noon, the Software & Information Industry Association (SIIA) will host House Judiciary Chairman Bob Goodlatte (R-VA) for a timely discussion about the growing need for legislative action that addresses abusive patent litigation.  Chairman Goodlatte will discuss his new discussion draft patent reform legislation (publicly released on May 23) along with his perspective on the problem of patent trolls and their impact on the U.S. economy.

The event, which is the first in SIIA’s new Tech Policy Speaker Series, will also feature a panel discussion with Aaron Cooper, Senator Leahy’s Senior Counsel for Intellectual Property and Antitrust on the Senate Judiciary Committee, along with experts from SAS, Oracle, the National Retail Federation and Public Knowledge.

It is estimated that abusive patent litigation has cost the U.S. economy $500 billion over the last 20 years, and the annual costs of these patent assertions has increased 500 percent since 2005 to more than $29 billion each year. SIIA, the principal association representing the software and digital content industries, has been playing an active role in seeking legislative solutions to this growing problem.

Members of the media are invited to attend and may RSVP to Farrah Kim: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it . Below is a full agenda for the event.

SIIA Tech Policy Speaker Series: Chairman Goodlatte on Legislative Solutions to Patent Troll Abuse

Time: Tuesday, June 4; 12:00 to 1:30 pm

Location: Rayburn House Office Building Room 2226

Schedule:

12:00 pm              Introduction by SIIA President Ken Wasch
12:05-12:30         Remarks and Q&A with Chairman Goodlatte
12:30-1:30 pm    Panel Discussion with:

• Aaron Cooper, Senior Counsel for Intellectual Property and Antitrust to Senator Leahy on the Senate Judiciary Committee
• John Boswell, Senior VP, Chief Legal Officer and Corporate Secretary for SAS
• Charles Duan, Patent Reform Project Director, Public Knowledge
• Mallory Duncan, Senior VP, General Counsel for the National Retail Federation
• Jason Mahler, VP, Government Affairs for Oracle (Moderator)

About SIIA

SIIA is the leading association representing the software and digital content industries. SIIA represents approximately 700 member companies worldwide that develop software and digital information content.  Information technology (IT) and software security are critical issues to SIIA’s members, many of whom strive to develop safe, secure and state-of the-art products that effectively serve their commercial and government customers alike, while protecting their intellectual property. For further information, visit www.siia.net.

 

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