Megan identifies five specific decisions that patent prosecution attorneys should typically never make without being informed by relevant data. The emphasis is on anticipating a most likely outcome instead of guessing.

Megan interviews Joe Kelly, of Kelly, Holt & Christenson, about basic response writing techniques for optimizing the likelihood of a desirable outcome during patent prosecution. Joe also explains his "multiple paths to allowance" amendment strategy.

Megan shares 6 ideas for searching image file wrappers to enhance your patent practice. This rich content set—including claims, responses, office actions, and appeal documents—can help you find licensing opportunities, decide whether or not to hire an attorney, perform complex USPTO trend analysis, and much more.

Megan interviews patent attorney Ryan Schneer about his experience as a patent examiner. Ryan discusses some of the benefits and challenges of working in a newly formed art unit and shares valuable insights into the organizational hierarchy at the USPTO. Based on his experience working on both sides of the table, Ryan shares his advice for patent practitioners.

Megan relays her top 4 strategies for using prosecution analytics for competitive intelligence. While many competitive intelligence efforts are focused on a competitor’s issued patent portfolio, looking at prosecution statistics can provide insight into what is coming down the pipeline, as well as early indicators of an issued patent’s value. For example, you can identify pending applications likely to be of value to your competitors by monitoring for their Track One filings.

Megan discusses a common strategy patent examiners use, but which may cost applicants unnecessary prosecution dollars. Specifically, many examiners have a habit of requiring an RCE prior to granting an allowance, even when the amendment after final was not significant. Is there really a need for the additional fee and the additional search? What should applicants do when working with examiners who have this tendency?

Megan discusses how to use "big brother" to your advantage in developing a patent strategy. By monitoring prosecution patterns, practitioners can look out for incoming competitor patents of interest, monitor for patents that competitors have deemed important, and even keep on top of their associates' workflow.

Megan reviews prosecution statistics for a couple of very difficult examiners. Although they are not the norm, examiners who rarely or never allow certain types of applications do exist. Now that prosecution statistics are readily available, does IP counsel have a duty to investigate and disclose problematic statistics to their clients? Is there also a duty to adjust prosecution strategy for "dead end" examiners?

Megan discusses the top 5 pitfalls of comparing patent prosecution data from one entity to another—company to company or law firm to law firm.  This podcast will tell you what questions to ask when presented with comparative patent prosecution data from law firm or corporate advertising material.  It will also help you to generate the most accurate information possible for your own competitive purposes.

Megan evaluates the prosecution history of U.S. Patent No. 5,352,605, Monsanto’s patent on genetically modified soybeans that was at issue in Bowman v. Monsanto. Monsanto’s counsel for this patent application took a very aggressive prosecution strategy—appealing after the first final office action—and it paid off. In what other situations could such an aggressive appeal strategy make statistical sense?