Citing empirical evidence that non-practicing entities assert relatively old patents that cover inventions in relatively fast-paced industries, this essay argues that the PTO should increase the number and magnitude of patent renewal ("maintenance") fees in order to hasten the expiration of...

On the heels of a widely reported uptick in egregious patent enforcement, six patent reform bills have been introduced in the last six months. All six bills aim to curb nuisance-value patent litigation, a phenomenon popularly referred to as “patent trolling,” by reducing the cost of...

This Essay is based on comments I submitted May 6, 2015 in response to the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office's Request for Comments on Enhancing Patent Quality. It proceeds in two parts. First, I share two general observations about the PTO's current slate of New Quality Proposals: specifically,...