Patent Law

The Secretary of Commerce (with the advice of the PTO Director) has named three new member of the Patent Public Advisory Committee (PPAC): Marc Adler; Stephen Pinkos; and Maureen Toohey. Mr. Adler is well known in the patent community as the past president of both the IPO and the ACPC. Adler has called for patent quality reforms that put more responsibilities on both the PTO and Applicants. Stephen Pinkos is a former deputy director of the PTO where he managed daily operations of the office. Maureen Toohey has her own law firm in Boston. She has apparently represented Dean Kamen in the past and clerked for Judge Rader.

The committee's purpose is to advise the PTO Director on the management of operations of the Office. The nine-member PPAC is on a three-year rotating schedule. Each year three new members are appointed. For each day of actual service, the PPAC members will be paid the equivalent of an Executive Level III salary (annual rate of about $150,000).