Executives of top patent holders will participate in “NPE 2015: The Business of Responsible Licensing” to be held in NYC’s financial district on March 12. There are still some audiences that believe that NPE, or non-practicing entity, is just another term for patent “troll.” To them patent holders who wish to license their inventions but do not sell products are suspect. More suspicious are companies that refuse to recognize that there are vast differences in the quality of asserted patents and the business that own them. NPE 2015: The Business of Responsible licensing will examine those differences and ways to combat misconceptions among patent holders. The conference will attract both non-practicing and practicing patent holders of all sizes, as well as investors, law firms, and law makers. NPE 2015, which will 
be held in NY’s financial district at the Convene conference center, steps from the stock exchange, is being produced by IP publishing and conference leader IAM, which produces the Global and Asian IP Business Congress. Businesses that engage in responsible patent licensing, that deploy quality rights for a market return, differ significantly from “trolls” who undermine the patent system by relying of the high cost of litigation to force a quick settlement. Recent legislation has done much to eliminate that strategy. Increased Scrutiny “Non-practising entities (NPEs) are facing greater scrutiny than ever before – be it from the media, US Congress, regulatory authorities or the courts – with much of that attention casting them, and large parts of the patent market, in a negative light,” writes conference organizer Richard Lloyd. “But at the same time, many NPEs’ business models are proving successful. A growing band of public IP companies (PIPCOs) have attracted new investors to the sector. The licensing strategies of many NPEs have never been more sophisticated, with several emphasising a shift away from litigation. And the growing confidence in the sector can be seen in several businesses committing themselves to best practices and playing an active role as the licensing sector considers adopting industry-wide standards.” IP thought-leaders who will be present at the conference include John Lindren, CEO of Conversant, which has taken a leadership role promoting best practices for patent licensing, Hon. Randall R. Rader, former Chief Judge of the Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit, and David Kappos, former USPTO Commissioner. A full list of speakers can be found here. “The days of asserting questionable patents to secure early settlements from defendants are all but over,” said Gerald Holtzman, President of Personalized Media Communications, an inventor-owned company,
who will participate on a panel in New York on March 12. “Still, there are those who would prefer patents be even weaker to further their agenda. America needs strong patents and a viable system to nurture innovation, encourage commerce and provide jobs.” “Being able to distinguish clearly between good patents and legitimate holders is an essential part of the equation.” Persons interested in attending, NPE 2015 can register here. Image source: wf360.typepad.com/; convene.com
