BSKB News

Learn about BSKB’s announcements, recognitions, and other firm news below.

  • June 21, 2022

    USPTO Update to Sequence Listing Requirements

    Implementation of ST.26 for Sequence Listing requirements to become effective worldwide July 1, 2022

  • May 23, 2022

    MaryAnne Armstrong, Ph.D Selected for The WIPR 2022 Leaders Directory

    We are proud to announce that BSKB’s MaryAnne Armstrong, Ph.D. has been selected to the WIPR Leaders 2022 Directory!

  • March 1, 2022

    Skyla A. Duncan-Jules, PhD joins BSKB

    Birch, Stewart, Kolasch & Birch, LLP (BSKB) is pleased to welcome Skyla A. Duncan-Jules, Ph.D. to the firm’s prosecution practice as a Technical Advisor in the Chemical and Life Sciences/Biotech departments.

  • January 1, 2022

    Seth S. Kim Promoted to Partner

    BSKB is pleased to announce that Seth S. Kim has been promoted to Partner of the firm.

  • November 24, 2021

    USPTO DOCX Filings Surcharge Fee Delay

    The USPTO has delayed the effective date of the surcharge fee for non-DOCX filings to January 1, 2023. The PTO Announcement and Federal Register Notice can be viewed using the USPTO link found here: https://www.uspto.gov/blog/director/entry/modernizing-patent-filing-with-docx The USPTO will continue to accept DOCX specifications for non-PCT applications first filed in the U.S., for applications filed in the U.S. under the Paris Convention and for applications filed as a by-pass continuation of a PCT application without the surcharge fee. The surcharge delay allows the USPTO time for further testing and for application filers to adjust to the DOCX format. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact us.

  • October 22, 2021

    Hailey R. Bureau, Ph.D., Promoted to Associate

    A huge congratulations to BSKB’s very own Hailey Bureau, Ph.D.! She has just been promoted to Associate after passing the Virginia Bar Exam. Congrats, Hailey!

  • November 12, 2021

    USPTO DOCX Filings

    Effective January 1, 2022, a USPTO surcharge fee of $400 (large entity), $200 (small entity) and $100 (micro entity) will apply for non-DOCX filings. The surcharge fee applies to utility non-provisional application filings (e.g., the specification, claims, and abstract must be in DOCX format to avoid the surcharge; drawings are not subject to this requirement). The DOCX surcharge does not apply to US National Stage Applications or PCT International Applications filed in the US Receiving Office. Drawings may be filed as PDF or DOCX documents. There is no surcharge for drawings not filed as DOCX documents. DOCX is a structured text-based Microsoft Word document. Effective January 1, 2022, a USPTO surcharge fee of $400 (large entity), $200 (small entity) and $100 (micro entity) will apply for non-DOCX filings. The surcharge fee applies to utility non-provisional application filings (e.g., the specification, claims, and abstract must be in DOCX format to avoid the surcharge; drawings are not subject to this requirement). The DOCX surcharge does not apply to US National Stage Applications or PCT International Applications filed in the US Receiving Office. Drawings may be filed as PDF or DOCX documents. There is no surcharge for drawings not filed as DOCX documents. DOCX is a structured text-based Microsoft Word document. In view of the above, to avoid the USPTO surcharge, we recommend that you commence sending specifications in DOCX format for all utility non-provisional applications filed on or after January 1, 2022.

  • May 28, 2021

    Len Svensson's meat substitute technology paper featured in IPWatchdog

    Leonard Svensson recently published an article in IPWatchdog, Inc. analyzing meat substitution companies and the patent protection being sought and obtained in the industry.

  • April 12, 2021

    Patent Law Institute 2021: Critical Issues & Best Practices

    BSKB is proud to announce that Partners, Gerald Murphy and Chad Rink will be presenting again at this year's Practising Law Institute (PLI), April 30, 2021 beginning at 9AM PT. Mr. Murphy and Mr. Rink will be discussing Chemical, Pharmaceutical and Biotech Updates Affecting Patent Prosecution.

  • February 26, 2021

    High Court Mulls Taking Up Diagnostic Patent Eligibility Fight

    Partner MaryAnne Armstrong was quoted in a Bloomberg Law article discussing Ariosa’s appeal to the Supreme Court of a Federal Circuit decision reviving Illumina Inc.'s fetal DNA test patents and what the outcome could mean for patent eligibility in the biotech industry.

  • February 19, 2021

    MaryAnne Armstrong, Ph.D. Appointed to SACEPO

    BSKB is pleased to announce the appointment of Partner, MaryAnne Armstrong, Ph.D. to the European Patent Office’s Standing Advisory Committee (SACEPO Working Party on Quality, section for American countries).

  • January 28, 2021

    Estella M. Gustilo, Ph.D. Joins BSKB

    Birch, Stewart, Kolasch & Birch, LLP (BSKB) is pleased to announce the arrival of Estella M. Gustilo, Ph.D. to the firm’s prosecution practice.

  • December 1, 2020

    BSKB ranked in 2021 "Best Law Firms"

    Birch, Stewart, Kolasch & Birch, LLP has been ranked in the 2021 U.S. News - Best Lawyers® "Best Law Firms" list nationally in 3 practice areas and regionally in 3 practice areas.

  • December 23, 2020

    Season’s Greetings

    Wishing you a safe and wonderful holiday season and a happy New Year.

  • September 10, 2020

    It’s Apple vs. Startup in Faceoff Over Who Can Use Fruit Logos

    Michael Smith was quoted in a Bloomberg Law article regarding Apple's opposition to the “federal registration of food prep app Prepear’s logo as a trademark, arguing the green pear-with-leaf logo ‘readily calls to mind’ its iconic bite-out-of-an-apple logo.”

  • August 31, 2020

    Eric H. Liou joins Birch, Stewart, Kolasch & Birch

    Falls Church, Va., August 31, 2020 — Eric H. Liou has joined Birch, Stewart, Kolasch & Birch, LLP (BSKB) as an associate in the firm’s Electronics and IT Practice Group.

  • August 27, 2020

    USPTO Fees Update

    Effective October 2, 2020, many USPTO fees will increase including application filing, RCE, appeal and issue fees. Therefore, to save costs, with one exception, you may consider filing any items with fee increases prior to October 2, 2020. The exception relates to the payment of the Issue Fee. Any issue Fee having a mailing date prior to October 2, 2020, will have the lower Issue Fee printed on the Notice of Allowance (even if the Issue Fee is paid after October 2, 2020).

  • July 24, 2020

    Michael Smith quoted in Law360 on the Washington's NFL Team temporary name

    "The fact that these other guys have filed applications for trademark registrations, I think it is a cautionary tale," Birch Stewart Kolasch & Birch LLP trademark attorney Michael Smith told Law360. "Teams want to go ahead file an intent to use applications early on so they can be first in line. That is not to say that the Washington team is not going to be able to resolve the issue, but it complicates things more."

  • July 21, 2020

    Partner Michael Smith is quoted in today's Law360 article regarding a rare Listerine royalty auction

    Unlike patents and copyrights, which have a set lifespan, "trade secrets basically last forever as long as you can keep a secret," said Michael Smith of Birch Stewart Kolasch & Birch LLP. A modern trade secrets contract would likely take that into account and call for the agreement to terminate if the secret became known, "which would mean the obligation obviously to continue paying would likewise terminate at that time," he said.

  • July 20, 2020

    Partner Michael Smith quoted in the Washington Business Journal

    Washington’s NFL team could still profit off its discarded name

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