Introduction

Orange County Intellectual Property (OCIPLA) is a prestigious professional association of intellectual property (IP) lawyers based in Orange County, California. It includes as association members patent lawyers, trademark lawyers, copyright lawyers, IP litigation lawyers and so on. Law students with an interest in IP law or support staff such as IP paralegals can be members as well. A monthly luncheon with a guest speaker speaking on IP matters is the signature event of OCIPLA. During the luncheon, latest IP law developments are presented and discussed, which helps with the professional development of its members. OCIPLA is a non-profit organization founded in 1983 as Orange County Patent Law Association or OCPLA. More information about the OCIPLA and its mission can be found at https://www.ocipla.org/ .

OCIPLA Support and Sponsorship

CIONCA IP supported and continues to support OCIPLA through sponsorship over many years now (as of the time of this article CIONCA IP is listed as sponsor on the OCIPLA home page). Further, Marin Cionca, the founder of CIONCA IP and a patent and trademark attorney himself here in Orange County, California, besides being a member since 2009, he has been serving on the OCIPLA Board of Directors (2017-2022) and as the 2022 President of OCIPLA (See Marin Cionca on the Presidents page of the OCIPLA website). CIONCA IP sponsors OCIPLA along other prestigious IP law firms from Orange County. Marin Cionca also was invited, and he presented on the topic of PATENT PROSECUTION TIPS FROM THE TRENCHES at OCIPLA’s, May 17, 2018 Luncheon. He shared then from his significant experience from dealing with USPTO patent examiners on issues such as the section 101 – Abstract Idea type rejections in patent applications. You can see his presentation here. Here are some Takeaways on section 101 from that presentation:

• Clearly describe improvements to computer technology or other technology

in the specification of the patent application;

• Contrast those improvements with the prior art;

• Make sure that no admission is made in the specification or during prosecution that a critical element for 101 purposes is well-known, routine, conventional (i.e., cautiously use the phrase “as known in the art” or similar);

• Recite those technical improvements in the claims;

• Be ready to push back, preferably via evidence, on the patent examiners or opposing party when they allege that the claims elements reciting the technical improvements are WELL-UNDERSTOOD, ROUTINE, CONVENTIONAL (WRC) both individually and in combination in the field;

• Prior art knowledge ≠ WRC.

Conclusion

CIONCA IP is well-integrated in and recognized by the Orange County IP legal community. For example, in addition to the significant involvement in OCIPLA, Marin Cionca, CIONCA IP’s founder was also the 2011 vice-chair and the 2012 co-chair of the Orange County Bar Association’s (OCBA) Intellectual Property and Technology Section. CIONCA IP will continue to stay involved and support the OC IP law community throughout the years to come.