About the NYIPLA

Eighty-four years ago, on March 7, 1922, The New York Patent Law Association was conceived as an organization through which patent lawyers in New York could make their views known in Washington and provide support for the judiciary. The Association, presided over by William Houston Kenyon, immediately launched into an ambitious program of activities, including the support of the Lehlback Bill, the investigation of post-war revival of the Patent Treaty with Germany, and the encouragement of improvements in the quarters of the federal courts in New York City.

The NYIPLA currently serves as a vehicle to promote the development and administration of intellectual property interests. The NYIPLA strives to educate the public and members of the bar in this particular field and continually works with foreign associations to harmonize the substance and interpretation of international conventions for the protection of intellectual property. Today, the NYIPLA exceeds 2000 intellectual property attorneys practicing throughout the United States and abroad.

The Association has a combined total of twenty-nine active Committees and Representatives/Liaisons, whose scope covers all aspects of intellectual property law and practice and related topics, including alternative dispute resolution, legislative oversight and amicus briefs, meetings and forums, and continuing legal education. Since 2000, the Association has been an accredited provider of programs, both live and on video, that meet New York State CLE requirements. As an accredited CLE provider, each month the Committee on Meetings and Forums sponsors aluncheon meeting that provides at least one credit toward the New York State minimum.

One of the notable highlights of each Association year is the Annual Dinner in Honor of the Federal Judiciary (the Judges Dinner). The first Annual Dinner in Honor of the Federal Judiciary was held on December 6, 1922, at the Hotel Waldorf-Astoria. It was a rousing success with 258 people in attendance. The tradition continues as the New York Intellectual Property Law Association celebrated the Eighty-Seventh Annual Dinner in 2009 with an attendance exceeding 3,000 members and guests..

The NYIPLA sponsors an annual Inventor of the Year Award, as well as the William B. Conner Intellectual Property Writing Competition, which honors essays on IP law topics submitted by law students.

Members of the bar interested in patent, trademark or copyright law and of good character and in good standing may apply for membership to the New York Intellectual Property Law Association. Additional membership information, as well as an application form, may be found at this website by searching the Membership index.