Ex-Ford licensing director to lead USPTO’s Midwest office
The US Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) has named Damian Porcari as its new Midwest regional office director, based in Detroit.
In his new role, Porcari will serve Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Ohio and Wisconsin.
The Midwest office is specifically named in the America Invents Act as the first USPTO regional office, which was opened in 2012 to increase outreach, improve retention and recruitment of patent examiners, decrease the patent application backlog, and improve the quality of examination.
At the Midwest office, Porcari will be responsible for carrying out the strategic plan of the director of the USPTO. He will be expected to engage with the community to ensure the USPTO’s initiatives are tailoured to the region’s needs.
Porcari is the owner of International Design Law, a firm he set up last year to specialise in design protection.
Before starting his own firm, Porcari spent nearly 30 years as director of licensing and enforcement for Ford’s global technology subsidiary. He oversaw the enforcement of Ford’s patents through licensing agreements and litigation.
Porcari also spent more than six years as an IP attorney for the US Army, specialising in software.
The USPTO announced its new appointment yesterday, on Twitter.
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