This colloquium shall explore the successes, failures and benefits of the Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT) in the Americas, as well as prospects for greater utilization of it. The colloquium will be attended by a diverse group of corporate users, private attorneys, and government officials from large and small patent offices in the Americas. The day-long discussion will cover the fundamentals of the PCT, how it has been used to protect the inventions of large and small entities, the impact it has on a daily practice in members countries and possible improvements which could be made in the functioning of the PCT.
Tuesday, November 18, 2008
7:30 a.m. - 9:10 a.m.	Breakfast (provided) .
9:10 a.m. - 9:15 a.m.	Welcome and Introduction FICPI President Danny Huntington
9:15 a.m. - 9:45 a.m.	I. Status of PCT Today Francis Gurry, Director General, WIPO (via live video)
9:45 a.m. - 10:20 a.m.	II. Fundamentals of PCT  Leonora Hoicka, Associate General Counsel, Intellectual Property Law, IBM Corporation
10:20 a.m. - 10:35 a.m.	Coffee .
10:35 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.	III. How PCT Has Been a Success in My Country Moderator - AIPLA President Teresa Stanek Rea .
	Mexico - César Ramos, Jr., Olivares & Cia, S.C.
	Brazil - Gustavo Jose Barbosa, Momsen, Leonardos & Cia.
	United States - Samson Helfgott, Katten Muchin Rosenman LLP
	United States - Tim Guffey, Global Patent Services, Procter & Gamble Company
12:00 p.m. - 1:00 p.m.	Lunch (provided) .
1:00 p.m. - 2:15 p.m.	IV. Experience of American Offices in Implementing PCT Moderator - ASIPI President Martín Michaus .
	Brazil - Jorge Avila, President, Instituto Nacional da Propriedade Industrial
	Mexico - Fabian Salazar, Division Patents Director for IMPI
	United States - Charles Pearson, Director, Office of Petitions, United States Patent and Trademark Office
2:15 p.m. - 3:00 p.m.	V. Status of Accession of PCT Moderator - ASIPI President Martín Michaus .
	Argentina - Martín Bensadon, Marval, O’Farrell Mairal
	Chile - Felipe S. Claro, Claro y Cia.
	Panama - Jeanne Johnson, Benedetti & Benedetti
3:00 p.m. - 3:15 p.m.	Coffee ..
3:15 p.m. - 4:30 p.m.	VI. Troubleshooting and Planning in PCT Implementation Countries                   Moderator - WIPO PCT Legal Division Director Matthew Bryan ..
	Spain - Alberto Casado Cerviño, Director General de la Oficina Española de Patentes y Marcas
	Canada - Scott Vasudev, Chief, Patent Admin Policy, Classification & International Affairs Division, Industry Canada
	Canada - John Orange, Blake Cassels & Graydon LLP
	Mexico - Alfredo Rangel, Noriega &  Escobedo, S.C.
4:30 p.m. - 5:00 p.m.	Closing Remarks / Discussion ...
5:00 p.m. - 6:00 p.m.	Reception ...
The PCT colloquium is held in conjunction with the XIV Work Sessions and Administrative Council of ASIPI, held on November 16-19, 2008. ASIPI is the largest association of intellectual property practitioners in Latin America. Founded in 1964 in Mexico City, ASIPI and its various working committees provide its members with information, academic activities, and social activities concerning intellectual property law. ASIPI also serves as a primary Latin American intellectual property voice to governments and to other intellectual property organizations throughout the world. ASIPI holds a Congress every three years, holds an annual meeting each year, and conducts joint meetings with other organizations such as AIPLA, FICPI, INTA, IPO, and WIPO, all in various cities throughout the Americas. ASIPI's annual meeting in Miami Beach from November 16 to 19, 2008, marks the first time in 22 years that ASIPI has held a meeting in the United States. The PCT colloquium will be held during the ASIPI meeting and at the same venue, and both are scheduled to facilitate attendance of both events by those who wish to do so. Click here for more information about the 2008 ASIPI annual meeting.