On Intellectual Property | Jeffrey D. Harty December 13, 2022 0:29:10

Resources Provided by Your Regional USPTO with Damian Porcari

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In this conversation, Jeff Harty speaks with Damian Porcari, regional director of the Elijah J. McCoy Midwest Regional United States Patent and Trademark Office. Damian explains how the regional offices work and tells us about the many resources available to aspiring inventors and business owners.

In this episode, Jeff Harty and Damian Porcari discuss:

Damian’s background in chemistry and his professional career, both of which helped form his views on intellectual property.
Measuring impact qualitatively.
Virtual hiring, training, and practice with the regional USPTO.
USPTO resources for aspiring inventors and business owners.

Key Takeaways:

Working at the USPTO has allowed Damian to work with smaller businesses that succeed and can compete with international conglomerates.
Counting things for the sake of counting things is not a true reflection of the impact of anything.
Attorneys and judges are assigned to cases based on their own technical backgrounds, even if they are in different regions.
Integrate the IP needs assessment into your business plan. Reassess it every year; your needs will grow and change as your business grows and changes.

“The people that utilize the needs assessment, that actually go and answer all 60 questions thoughtfully, and then bring it to their advisers, whether they’re lawyers or investors or partners, can essentially integrate those questions into their business plans.” —Damian Porcari

About Damian Porcari:

Damian Porcari has been the regional director of the Elijah J. McCoy Midwest Regional United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) since September 2018. From 1989 to 2017, Damian worked for Ford Global Technologies LLC (FGTL) in Dearborn, Michigan, serving as its director of licensing and enforcement from 2005 to 2017. Damian is a named inventor on six U.S. patents and created one of the largest IP software companies in the world. He received a bachelor of science in chemistry from Michigan State University and a juris doctor from the University of Detroit Mercy School of Law.

Episode References:

USPTO Awareness Assessment: https://ipassessment.uspto.gov/

USPTO Startup Resources: https://www.uspto.gov/learning-and-resources/startup-resources

USPTO Events: https://www.uspto.gov/about-us/events

Connect with Damian Porcari:

Regional Director

USPTO - Elijah J. McCoy Midwest Regional Office

300 River Place Drive | Suite 2900 | Detroit | Michigan | 48027

Website: https://www.uspto.gov/about-us/uspto-locations/detroit-michigan

Email: midwestregion@uspto.gov

Email: dporcari@uspto.gov

Phone: 313-446-4800