Todd Dickinson Should Be (re)Appointed Director of the USPTO

As you probably recall, Q. Todd Dickinson started as deputy in early 1998 and then served as director of the USPTO until January 2001, during a critical juncture in its history. He dealt with Congress as it passed the American Inventors Protection Act of 1999, the last major legislative amendment to the patent law, and managed the PTO as it was reconstituted a Performance-Based Organization of the government. He also initiated planning for agency’s relocation from Crystal City to the Carlisle Campus in Arlington. This included development of an information technology strategy of going from a paper-based to a paperless office. Corresponding issues of policy and practice need to be addressed now. I’d like to see him back in charge of the PTO.

Last week I was at the American Bar Association’s IP Section Spring Meeting. I spoke there with Todd and asked what I could do to support his candidacy to be (re)appointed director of the USPTO. He said that this week the Administration would be making the decision, and that any correspondence should go to the Secretary of Commerce with a copy to the White House Office of Presidential Personnel. The addresses are as follows:

Secretary of Commerce, Gary Locke: [email protected]
…or…
Hon. Gary Locke
Secretary of Commerce
1401 Constitution Avenue, NW
Washington, DC 20230

White House Office of Presidential Personnel: [email protected].

There is a Wikipedia entry about Todd Dickinson, and additional material about Todd at IP Frontline and here.

- Gerry Elman
Elman Technology Law, P.C.