Updates on USPTO Activities with PTAB Judge Michelle Ankenbrand
We are pleased to announce our first event of this year will take place on September 16th, 2026 at the Elm City Club. We will host Deputy Chief Judge Michelle Ankenbrand of the PTAB for a discussion on updates on USPTO activities. Please note, our speaker will appear virtually.
Our speaker will provide updates on one or more of the following topics: updates to any administrative changes at the USPTO including pilot programs and their intent/purpose, changes in the direction of the USPTO (e.g., including with administrative changes to examining procedure), updates for processing documents at the PTO/PTAB including changes to discretionary review by the director in instituting IPRs or overturning appeal decisions, and recently identified precedential decisions and their implications.
If you plan to attend in person, please register no later than September 14th. If you have purchased either a firm membership or an individual full access membership, you still need to register using the link below for headcount and meal choice. Enter code MEMBER16 when checking out.
Those who have purchased an annual membership with a virtual pass will be provided the link to join virtually.
About our Speaker
Michelle N. Ankenbrand is detailed as a Senior Advisor in the Office of the Under Secretary of Commerce for Intellectual Property and Director of the USPTO and is currently performing the duties of Director Review Executive. Judge Ankenbrand also serves as a Senior Lead Administrative Patent Judge (APJ) at the PTAB and is currently performing the duties of Director Review Executive.
Judge Ankenbrand recently returned from a two-year assignment to the Judiciary Committee of the U.S. Senate, serving as intellectual property counsel to U.S. Senator Chris Coons of Delaware. Judge Ankenbrand joined PTAB as an APJ in 2014, presiding over trial proceedings under the America Invents Act (AIA) and appeals arising from adverse decisions of patent examiners. Prior to joining PTAB, Judge Ankenbrand had an extensive career as a law clerk, including at the Delaware District Court, where she clerked for the Honorable Gregory M. Sleet for six years, and the Federal Circuit, where she clerked for the Honorable Raymond C. Clevenger, III.
Judge Ankenbrand also taught patent litigation and enforcement at Rutgers Law School. In addition, she practiced intellectual property law in Delaware, focusing on patent litigation in the district courts and at the Federal Circuit.
Judge Ankenbrand graduated from Union College with a Bachelor of Science in Biochemistry and received her Juris Doctor from Villanova School of Law.