The Department of the Navy (DoN) has traditionally relied upon the patent system to protect its inventions. But recently folks have asked whether the DoN could protect its inventions as trade secrets. Since the DoN’s authority to protect and license inventions is determined by Congress, this talk will explore the language of 35 U.S.C. § 207(a) to see whether Congress has authorized the DoN to pursue non-patent forms of protection. This talk will also discuss potential problems with protecting a Government invention as a trade secret, namely whether the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) precludes the Government from maintaining reasonable measures to keep the trade secret information secret. Finally, this talk will consider situations where protecting inventions as trade secrets would be beneficial for both the DON and the private sector.
Speaker:
Sean Walsh, Assistant Counsel for Intellectual Property, Naval Research Laboratory
Don't miss this important webinar for the DoD community brought to you by the DoD T2 Professional Development Working Group.
Date: September 15, 2021
Time: 12:00 – 1:00 PM EST.
About Sean Walsh:
Sean Walsh is an IP Attorney at the Naval Research Laboratory. Mr. Walsh’s current practice focuses on identifying and protecting Navy IP and investigating cases of potential infringement. Before joining OGC, Mr. Walsh practiced intellectual property law at Fitzpatrick, Cella, Harper & Scinto. While at Fitzpatrick, Mr. Walsh helped clients develop robust patent portfolios and successfully represented clients in ex parte and post-grant proceedings before the Patent Trial and Appeal Board. Mr. Walsh was also a member of several litigation teams and has experience in all aspects of patent litigation.