2026 USPTO Dinner and Discussion
by Connecticut Intellectual Property Law Association (CIPLA)
The "2026 USPTO Dinner and Discussion" is an event organized by the Connecticut Intellectual Property Law Association (CIPLA) to provide updates on activities at the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO). Scheduled for September 16, 2026, from 6:00 pm to 8:00 pm at the Elm City Club, the event features Deputy Chief Judge Michelle Ankenbrand of the USPTO's Patent Trial and Appeal Board (PTAB) as the keynote speaker. Judge Ankenbrand will discuss recent administrative changes at the USPTO, including pilot programs, updates to examining procedures, and changes in the processing of documents at the PTO/PTAB. She will also address discretionary review by the director in instituting Inter Partes Reviews (IPRs) or overturning appeal decisions, as well as recently identified precedential decisions and their implications.
Speakers(1)
Michelle N. Ankenbrand
Deputy Chief Judge at Patent Trial and Appeal Board (PTAB)
Michelle N. Ankenbrand serves as Deputy Chief Judge at the PTAB and is detailed as a Senior Advisor in the Office of the Under Secretary of Commerce for Intellectual Property and Director of the USPTO. She also performs the duties of Director Review Executive. Judge Ankenbrand joined PTAB in 2014, presiding over trial proceedings under the America Invents Act (AIA) and appeals arising from adverse decisions of patent examiners. Prior to joining PTAB, she clerked for the Honorable Gregory M. Sleet at the Delaware District Court and the Honorable Raymond C. Clevenger, III at the Federal Circuit. She also taught patent litigation and enforcement at Rutgers Law School and practiced intellectual property law in Delaware, focusing on patent litigation in district courts and at the Federal Circuit. Judge Ankenbrand graduated from Union College with a Bachelor of Science in Biochemistry and received her Juris Doctor from Villanova School of Law.
Event Details
- Date
- September 16, 2026
- Location
- 🇺🇸 Fairfield, United States
- Elm City Club
- Pricing
- Varies by membership tier
- Audience
- Legal professionals, patent practitioners, and individuals interested in USPTO activities
- CLE Credits
- CLE accreditation pending
- Attendees
- Not specified