Life under AIA

Kristin Jones writes:

Under the new first-to-file system, the key is who gets to the patent office first.

Inventors now have to balance the risk of having their invention copied with the speed at which they can afford to apply. Weaker applications may also be viewed as having less value.

However, the move to a first-to-file system isn’t without merit. For larger companies, the impact of having a predictable, more-transparent process in line with global practices greatly reduces their costs, can lead to a much greater emphasis on innovation, and should result in job creation to support further discovery.