IP Section
ABOUT US
The Intellectual Property (IP) Section is a practice community within the Bar Association of the District of Columbia, the District’s voluntary bar founded in 1871.
The BADC IP Section convenes lawyers and judges across patents, trademarks, copyrights, trade secrets, and related competition issues, with programming and initiatives that emphasize dialogue among D.C. practitioners, the Federal Circuit, ITC, PTAB/USPTO, district courts, and Congress.
JOIN US
The annual fee is only $150 and it includes membership in the IP Section.
IP Section Member Benefits
Amicus briefs on IP issues
The Section takes amicus positions on IP law, backed by the BADC, a strong voice for lawyers in the nation’s capital for over 150 years. Unlike the mandatory DC Bar, the BADC has considerable flexibility to take stands and make its voice heard.
Comments on USPTO rulemaking
The Section takes positions on USPTO proposed rulemaking and guards against efforts by Congress to divert USPTO fees to fund other government operations.
Learn and network
Events include webinars on IP topics and in-person BADC events. Recurring annual events include the BADC’s Annual Judicial Reception that honors judges in the D.C. legal community and the BADC Foundation’s black-tie Annual Banquet in December.
Project your expertise
Each year the BADC recognizes its “Lawyer of the Year,” Patent Attorney of the Year, and Trademark Attorney of the year. The IP Section is open for recommendations for patent and trademark attorneys of the year, named near the end of each year.
Take a leadership role
Our Section includes Committee Chairs on various IP practice areas. They direct the Section’s attention to IP issues in their bailiwick. Several IP Section chairs have gone on to become President of the BADC.
Serve the D.C. Community
The BADC Foundation funds over $20,000 in grants to local agencies that provide legal counsel to meet the needs of D.C.’s children and the less fortunate. The Foundation sponsors programs that educate D.C. citizens on family law.
Join our monthly meetings
The Section meets online monthly. Bring your ideas for amicus briefs, webinars and events, and committee work, or just listen in.
LEADERSHIP
Clifton McCann, Chair
Paula Hopkins, Past Chair
Ralph Albrecht, Patent Committee
Paula Hopkins, Trademark Committee
Open, Copyright Committee
Matthew Grillo, Amicus Committee
Open, Trade Secret
Bill Atkins, IP Litigation Committee
Robert Babayi, Section 101 Eligibility
Contact via Evonne Edmonds
The Bar Association of the DC
1016 16th Street NW, Suite 101
Washington, DC 20036
202-223-6600
staff@badc.org
RESOURCES
Patents, Trademarks & Copyrights
- US Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO)
- European Patent Office (EPO)
- World Intellectual Property Office (WIPO)
- US Patent Law
- US Patent Regulations
- USPTO Manual of Patent Examining Procedures
- WIPO Patent Laws Worldwide
- Patent Searching (USPTO)
- Patent Searching (Google)
- European Patent Searching (Espacenet)
- International Patent Searching (PatentScope WIPO.int)
- Trademark Searching (USPTO)
- Trademark Searching (EU)
- WIPO Global Brand Database
- US Trademark Law
- US Trademark Regulations
- USPTO Manual of Trademark Examining Procedure
- USPTO Goods and Services Classification Manual
- WIPO Trademark Laws Worldwide
- US Copyright Office at Library of Congress (LOC)
- Copyright Searching
- US Copyright Law
- US Copyright Regulations
- US Copyright Office Compendium of Practices
- Copyright Law Worldwide
- ABA IP Section
- American Intellectual Property Law Association (AIPLA)
- Intellectual Property Owners (IPO)
IP Section Accomplishments
Amicus Brief: Ex parte Baurin, Appeal No. 2024-002920, Appeals Review Panel of U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (2026)
Ex parte Baurin, Appeal No. 2024-002920, Appeals Review Panel of U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (2026)
Comments: Comments on U.S. Patent and Trademark Office’s Proposed Revisions to the Rules of Practice Before the Patent Trial and Appeal Board, published at 90(199) Fed. Reg. 48335 (2025)
Comments on U.S. Patent and Trademark Office’s Proposed Revisions to the Rules of Practice Before the Patent Trial and Appeal Board, published at 90(199) Fed. Reg. 48335 (2025)
Amicus Brief: In re: SanDisk Technologies, Inc., U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit (2025)
In re: SanDisk Technologies, Inc., U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit (2025)
Amicus Brief: Pauline Newman v. Kimberly A. Moore, et al., U.S. District Court, DC (2025)
Amicus Brief: Pauline Newman v. Kimberly A. Moore, et al., U.S. District Court, DC (2025)
Amicus Brief: ParkerVision, Inc. v. TCL Industries Holdings Co., LTD., et al., U.S. Supreme Court (2024)
ParkerVision, Inc. v. TCL Industries Holdings Co., LTD., et al., U.S. Supreme Court (2024)
Amicus Brief: Helsinn Healthcare S.A. v. Teva Pharmaceuticals USA Inc., U.S. Supreme Court (2018)
Helsinn Healthcare S.A. v. Teva Pharmaceuticals USA Inc., U.S. Supreme Court (2018)
Amicus Brief: Tafas v. Dudas, et al., U.S. District Court, Eastern District, Virginia (2008)
Tafas v. Dudas, et al., U.S. District Court, Eastern District, Virginia (2008)
Amicus Brief: Illinois Tool Works Inc. v. Independent Ink, Inc., U.S. Supreme Court (2007)
Illinois Tool Works Inc. v. Independent Ink, Inc., U.S. Supreme Court (2007)
Amicus Brief: In re Seagate Technology, LLC ., U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit (2007)es Here
In re Seagate Technology, LLC ., U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit (2007)
Amicus Brief: Phillips v. AWH Corp., U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit (2005)
Phillips v. AWH Corp., U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit (2005)
Amicus Brief: Egyptian Goddess, Inc. v. Swisa, Inc., U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit (2005)
Egyptian Goddess, Inc. v. Swisa, Inc., U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit (2005)
Amicus Brief: Knorr-Bremse Systeme Fuer Nutzfahrzeuge GmbH v. Dana Corp., U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit (2004)
Knorr-Bremse Systeme Fuer Nutzfahrzeuge GmbH v. Dana Corp., U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit (2004)
Amicus Brief: Festo Corp. v. Shoketsu Kinzoku Kogyo Kabushiki Co., U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit (2003)
Festo Corp. v. Shoketsu Kinzoku Kogyo Kabushiki Co., U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit (2003)
Amicus Brief: In re Donaldson Company, Inc., U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit (1994)
In re Donaldson Company, Inc., U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit (1994)
