NEW POLICY OFFICER: Sharon Israel has been named chief policy officer and director for international affairs, overseeing the agency’s Office of Policy and International Affairs (OPIA).
As chief policy officer and director for international affairs, Israel will serve as a principal adviser to Under Secretary of Commerce for Intellectual Property and Director of the USPTO Kathi Vidal, and Deputy Under Secretary and Deputy Director Derrick Brent on domestic and international policy matters related to intellectual property protection and enforcement, and on IP-related trade issues. These include proposed legislation and international activities of the United States.
Jack Fleming was named chief communications officer, overseeing the agency’s communications team. The appointments were effective January 8.
CHINA IPR TOOLKIT: A revised edition of the China Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) Toolkit is now available from the USPTO that describes numerous recent changes made to China’s IP-related laws and government structures.
The Toolkit offers an in-depth look at the basics of protecting IP rights in China, including trademarks, patents, copyrights, and trade secrets. It also provides an overview of China’s IP environment, details about IP enforcement, and a list of valuable China IPR resources that can help rights holders who do business in China.
The Toolkit is available as a free download from the USPTO website.
