Cravath hires former USPTO head Kappos

New York law firm Cravath, Swaine & Moore LLP has hired David Kappos, former director of the US Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO), as a partner.

Kappos, who was appointed to the USPTO by US President Barack Obama in 2009, left the post last month.

His tenure there was widely held to have been a success, not only for his stewardship of the organisation through the passage of the America Invents Act, but also for his efforts on international harmonisation and internal office reform.