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USD Law Professor Ted Sichelman Lends Expertise to IP Law Panel

San Diego – In a panel hosted by the San Diego Daily Transcript debating patent reform, University of San Diego School of Law assistant professor Ted Sichelman contributed key insights as to the sophistication of the patenting industry in the modern era of venture capital funding. Drawing on his background as an intellectual property litigator and founder of a venture-backed software company, Sichelman argued that the amount of money raised for today's start-ups allows for stronger patents that can lead to stronger lawsuits.

The debate focused on deciding which entity—the legislature, the judiciary, or the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office—is in the best position to influence patent reform. The occasion was sparked by the recent case of Microsoft v. i4i, where Microsoft called on the court to demand the lower standard of proof in order to invalidate patents being asserted against a company. Sichelman said such a change would have little effect on litigation because of the sophistication of the patent industry.

Read the full article on SDDT.com.

About Professor Sichelman

Ted Sichelman writes and teaches in the areas of intellectual property, law and entrepreneurship, empirical legal studies, law and economics, and computational legal studies. Prior to coming to USD, he completed a Kauffman Foundation Fellowship at the University of California, Berkeley, Boalt Hall School of Law. Professor Sichelman’s current research efforts examine the effects of the patent system on entrepreneurial companies, the role of patent law in technology commercialization, quantum game theoretic modeling of intellectual property law, real options modeling of litigation, and the financing of start-up and early-stage technology companies.

About the University of San Diego School of Law

The University of San Diego School of Law is a center of academic excellence focused on preparing its students for legal practice in the new century. One of the most selective law schools in the country, the School of Law's nationally recognized faculty create a demanding, yet welcoming environment that emphasizes individualized education. USD law school graduates consistently score higher than the state average on the California Bar Exam and go on to practice law throughout the country and abroad, forming an influential network of alumni. USD School of Law is one of only 81 law schools in the country to have a chapter of The Order of the Coif, the most distinguished rank of American law schools. The school is accredited by the American Bar Association and is a member of the Association of American Law Schools. Founded in 1954, the law school is part of the University of San Diego, a private, nonprofit, independent, Roman Catholic university chartered in 1949.