Patent Resources Group Special Offers

Company Timeline

The Remarkable History of Patent Resources Group

Patent Resources Group (PRG) was founded in 1969 by Dr. Irving Kayton, a legendary law professor at the George Washington University (GWU) in Washington, DC. Professor Kayton was a corporate patent attorney prior to beginning his teaching career, and may well have been the nation's first full-time academic with an in-depth working knowledge of patent law. From 1964 until 1988, he was Professor of Law at The George Washington University Law Center, and while there he founded and directed the Patent and Intellectual Property Law Program and the Computers-in-Law Institute. In 1988, Professor Kayton left GWU to become the George Mason University Foundation Professor of Intellectual Property Law at the George Mason School of Law in Arlington, Virginia. While at George Mason, Professor Kayton instituted and directed the Juris Doctor Specialty Track in Patent Law and the Complex Technology Litigation Institute until 1992. Professor Kayton continues to provide academic direction to Patent Resources Group in its fifth decade.

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January 2000: Paul Gardner, an internationally recognized patent attorney, joins Patent Resources Group as its Academic Director. Paul continues to direct the academic affairs of PRG today, while also teaching at Patent Bar Review Courses, all Patent Workshops, and all three Advanced Course Programs.

April 2000: PRG offers the new "Biotechnology: Patents, Licensing and FDA Practice" course.

August 2000: PRG offers the new "Business Methods Workshop" course in response to the State Street Bank decision in 1998.

January 2001: Patent Resources Group continues to dominate the field of patent bar preparation as its students pass the Patent Exam in twice the percentages of the nearest educational provider. In 2001, PRG students report pass rates for 1999 and 2000 that dwarf those of others.

In addition, the seventh edition of Patent Practice is published.

April 2001: PRG offers the new "Guaranteed Patent Term & Pre-Issuance Publication" course.

September 2001:Patent Resources Group cancels its Patent Bar Review Course for September in New York after terrorists destroy the World Trade Center and attack the Pentagon.

April 2002: PRG offers the new "Software & Business Methods Patent Practice" course.

August 2002: PRG offers the new "Drafting & Prosecuting Winning Patents" workshop. In addition, Professor Paul Gardner first appears in a PRG brochure.

January 2003: Once again, PRG leads the industry in Patent Exam pass rates, confirming that anyone who is serious about taking the patent bar exam will prepare with a course from Patent Resources Group. PRG’s uninterrupted leadership in preparing students for a career as a patent attorney or patent agent continues to this very day.

April 2003: Patent Resources Group celebrates its 34th Anniversary with a Dinner and Dance Competition.

Additionally, PRG offers the new "Ethics & the Duty of Candor" workshop.

August 2003: PRG offers the new "Madrid Protocol" course for trademark professionals.

January 2004: Once again, PRG leads the industry in Patent Exam pass rates.

April 2004: PRG offers three new dynamic courses, which include "Miscalculated Patent Term Adjustment Consequences," "Practical Approach to Patent Term Adjustment Calculation Using PatentTerm Online," and "Patent Counsel's Vital Role in Corporate Transactions."

July 2004: The USPTO announces the transition to computer-based, on-demand exams for the first time. The service commences on July 26, 2004 and forbids students from bringing materials into the examination room. PRG provides the Manual of Patent Examining Procedure (MPEP) on electronic media to simulate new exam conditions.

August 2004: PRG offers the new "Current Issues in Inequitable Conduct" course.

January 2005: The USPTO decides to no longer publish exam Questions and Answers. In another industry first, Patent Resources Group publishes two new sets of expected Questions and Answers based on reports from students who have taken the exam.

August 2005: PRG offers three new Advanced Courses, which include "Drafting Patent Validity & Infringement Opinions," "Brand & Generic Pharmaceutical Patent Term Extension Litigations," and "Patent Law Guide for Corporate Inventors & Paralegals."

In addition, PRG offers the Patent Bar Review Course on DVD-R format.

January 2006: Patent Resources Group adopts a new logo and marketing materials. The company remains the leading educator dedicated exclusively to the patent community.

In addition, PRG hires Brad Buehler as Vice President of Course Administration. Mr. Buehler is a registered patent agent and a highly accomplished company executive in the patent information industry.

April 2006: PRG offers the new "Patentability Searches: The Art and Science" course. The course is an immediate success and is extended to include training on validity and infringement searches.

July 2006: The USPTO announces testing based on MPEP Revision 4, to begin in October 2006.

September 2006: PRG offers the new "Inequitable Conduct Under Current Federal Circuit Law" course. The one-day course is added to the Advanced Courses Program beginning in April 2007.

October 2006: PRG offers the "Intellectual Property Strategy" course at its highly successful October Advanced Program at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas. The course name is changed to "Patent Strategy" and offered at all Advanced Programs beginning in 2007.

December 2006: Patent Resources Group releases a newly-designed website with improved course information, calendars, faculty biographies, and online registration.

January 2007: Patent Resources Group enters 2007 as the most respected and trusted provider of patent-related education for patent attorneys, agents, scientists, engineers, and executives at any stage in their careers.