Barry E. Bretschneider

Barry E. Bretschneider, Esq.MORRISON & FOERSTER LLP1650 Tysons Boulevard, Suite 400McLean, Virginia 22102

Barry E. Bretschneider, Morrison & Foerster, LLP, of Washington, DC, for amicus curiae Houston Intellectual Property Law Association.

• Barry Bretschneider, Partner: Morrison & Forrester, LLP - Examine the Competition

Denenberg was represented by Norman Denenberg of Omaha, Neb. Berman was represented by Barry Bretschneider, Morrison & Foerster, of Washington, D.C.

3) Barry Bretschneider, Partner: Morrison & Forrester, LLP - Examine the Competition;

3) Barry Bretschneider, Partner: Morrison & Forrester, LLP - Examine the Competition;

Instructor: Barry E. Bretschneider, Esq., Morrison & Foerster

Instructor: Barry E. Bretschneider, Esq., Morrison & Foerster

Whether BountyQuest is truly an agent for reform or merely an assault on the credibility of the PTO , few would argue the patent process needs revamping. ``We still have to improve searching and examination in PTO so that inappropriate patents do not issue , ' says Barry Bretschneider , a partner with Morrison & Foerster in Washington , D.C.

ROLLING OUT PLANS.For its part , PTO is trying to close what some patent experts are calling the ``prior-art gap.'' In March , 2000 , the agency rolled out a plan to improve the examination process for electronic-commerce and business-method technologies , and is taking steps to improve scrutiny in biotechnology.And the office is set to launch another level of review on its own Web site that will allow anyone with prior art relevant to Class 705 applications to submit it before a patent is issued.

Patent experts point out that BountyQuest also has its downsides.For example , if a search fails to turn up prior art , the patentee will try to use that as evidence of the validity of a patent.And the company that posted the bounty can't tell how extensive a search it received.