Guidance to University Technology Transfer Offices on Patent Reform Activity
WHAT YOU SHOULD DO NOW

• Review the bill language, testimony, and statements by the higher ed associations and others to educate yourself on the issues.
  
  
• Determine the impact these proposed changes would have on your institution’s ability to secure, defend and enforce patents, attract prospective licensees to license and develop university technologies, encourage venture capitalists to invest in startup companies, and move university-developed technologies into the market place.
  
  
• Gather institutional information on your technology transfer impact on the local economy. Even if you have little time, bring at least a little bit of information so that your legislator can understand the direct impact on your locality.
  
  
• Identify the issues of concern to your institution and prioritize them.
  
  
• Identify House and Senate representatives who are from your state.
  
  
• Educate your university management so that your institution can speak with a common voice.
  
  
• Call your Federal Relations officer and express your concern and ask their assistance in meeting with legislative staffers to express concerns and/or write a letter to your local legislator(s) expressing concerns. Emphasize the importance of patents to the university technology transfer activities to induce industrial investment in developing and commercializing University-developed technologies. Include examples of successfully commercialized inventions and successful start-up companies from your institution.
  
  
• Please provide feedback to the AUTM Patent Reform Subcommittee Chair Andy Cohn at cohn@warf.org on your interactions with Hill staffers and representatives and send copies of any letters or e-mails sent to legislators to Vicki Loise.