This episode features David Kappos, Partner Cravath, and former director USPTO. The IP system in general, the patent system particularly has become more important and the subject of concern, criticism, but also extreme economic and strategic value. IP sits at the heart of the global superstructure that’s driving the innovation and digital economy. Yet its development into a functional asset class is hampered by the basics, lack of IP transparency.

Pride in Patent Ownership Act

The new legislation is trying to do, is to let the world know, who owns a patent by making a patent owner record their ownership. I will continue to encourage here in the US this legislation to proceed, and then the USPTO to find mid-lane approaches to implementing, and then hopefully we can take this global. This legislation and Oropo on a global level become a catalyst could be really powerful and really positive.

Global trade and Challenges in IP transparency

Governments in many countries have taken more of an interest. But I think now we're at a kind of a turning point. And in Europe, starting right there in the UK, I think we can make this into a kind of a global wave in a positive way.

Future of transparency in the Intellectual Property world

With the pandemic that we’re still dealing with, I fear that we’ll continue to have a lot of pressure brought to bear on intellectual property in general, and accusations of it, impeding or thwarting innovation. I hope others take the IP discussion to a different level to a much more understandable consumer on the street kind of level.