Bruce Lehman
Encyclopedia
Bruce A. Lehman served from August 5, 1993 through 1998 as the United States Under Secretary of Commerce for Intellectual Property
and Commissioner
of the United States Patent and Trademark Office
("USPTO"). Nominated by President Bill Clinton
on April 23, 1993, and confirmed by the United States Senate
on August 5, 1993. During this short period of time, he was responsible for significant changes to the United States
patent law.
Lehman's streak of successful changes was finally ended when he tried to move control of the U.S. Copyright Office from the Library of Congress
to his department.
After leaving the USPTO, Lehman founded the International Intellectual Property Institute
, a non-profit, non-governmental organization.
, receiving a B.A.
in 1967 and a J.D.
in 1970.
He was named "Lawyer of the Year" 1994 by National Law Journal.
In 1996 he served as the head of the U.S. delegation to World Intellectual Property Organization
(WIPO) on the December 1996 Diplomatic Conference on Certain Copyright and Neighboring Rights Questions.
He also chaired the Working Group on Intellectual Property Rights of the National Information Infrastructure Task Force.
Lehman was asked by the President on September 5, 1997, to serve on an interim basis as Acting Chairman of the National Endowment for the Humanities
.
On June 16, 1997 he was named one of the 100 most influential men and women in Washington by the National Journal
.
He has been legal counsel to:
He has also worked as an attorney with the U.S. Department of Justice
, as a partner at Swidler & Berlin (10 years), as an officer in the U.S. Army and is currently a member of the Bar of the District of Columbia.
On February 7, 2006, Mr. Lehman was honored as one of 23 initial inductees to the newly created International IP Hall of Fame, a project sponsored by the London
-based Intellectual Property Asset Management Magazine.
Currently, he is President and Chairman of the International Intellectual Property Institute
(IIPI), a non-profit, non-partisan economic development organization based in Washington, D.C., and is President of the U.S. Committee for the WIPO. Concurrently, Mr. Lehman serves as an expert witness
in intellectual property and advises clients on intellectual property related maters, both domestically and internationally.
He continues to fight against submarine patents.
Lehman is openly gay. He was the first openly gay man to be confirmed by the U.S. Senate.
Under Secretary of Commerce for Intellectual Property
The Under Secretary for Intellectual Property, within the United States Department of Commerce, is the Director of the United States Patent and Trademark Office...
and Commissioner
Commissioner
Commissioner is in principle the title given to a member of a commission or to an individual who has been given a commission ....
of the United States Patent and Trademark Office
United States Patent and Trademark Office
The United States Patent and Trademark Office is an agency in the United States Department of Commerce that issues patents to inventors and businesses for their inventions, and trademark registration for product and intellectual property identification.The USPTO is based in Alexandria, Virginia,...
("USPTO"). Nominated by President Bill Clinton
Bill Clinton
William Jefferson "Bill" Clinton is an American politician who served as the 42nd President of the United States from 1993 to 2001. Inaugurated at age 46, he was the third-youngest president. He took office at the end of the Cold War, and was the first president of the baby boomer generation...
on April 23, 1993, and confirmed by the United States Senate
United States Senate
The United States Senate is the upper house of the bicameral legislature of the United States, and together with the United States House of Representatives comprises the United States Congress. The composition and powers of the Senate are established in Article One of the U.S. Constitution. Each...
on August 5, 1993. During this short period of time, he was responsible for significant changes to the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
patent law.
Lehman's streak of successful changes was finally ended when he tried to move control of the U.S. Copyright Office from the Library of Congress
Library of Congress
The Library of Congress is the research library of the United States Congress, de facto national library of the United States, and the oldest federal cultural institution in the United States. Located in three buildings in Washington, D.C., it is the largest library in the world by shelf space and...
to his department.
After leaving the USPTO, Lehman founded the International Intellectual Property Institute
International Intellectual Property Institute
The International Intellectual Property Institute is a not-for-profit 501 corporation founded in 1999 and located in Washington, DC. An international development organization and think tank, IIPI is dedicated to increasing awareness and understanding of the use of intellectual property as a tool...
, a non-profit, non-governmental organization.
Biography
He went to the University of Wisconsin–MadisonUniversity of Wisconsin–Madison
The University of Wisconsin–Madison is a public research university located in Madison, Wisconsin, United States. Founded in 1848, UW–Madison is the flagship campus of the University of Wisconsin System. It became a land-grant institution in 1866...
, receiving a B.A.
Bachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
in 1967 and a J.D.
Juris Doctor
Juris Doctor is a professional doctorate and first professional graduate degree in law.The degree was first awarded by Harvard University in the United States in the late 19th century and was created as a modern version of the old European doctor of law degree Juris Doctor (see etymology and...
in 1970.
He was named "Lawyer of the Year" 1994 by National Law Journal.
In 1996 he served as the head of the U.S. delegation to World Intellectual Property Organization
World Intellectual Property Organization
The World Intellectual Property Organization is one of the 17 specialized agencies of the United Nations. WIPO was created in 1967 "to encourage creative activity, to promote the protection of intellectual property throughout the world"....
(WIPO) on the December 1996 Diplomatic Conference on Certain Copyright and Neighboring Rights Questions.
He also chaired the Working Group on Intellectual Property Rights of the National Information Infrastructure Task Force.
Lehman was asked by the President on September 5, 1997, to serve on an interim basis as Acting Chairman of the National Endowment for the Humanities
National Endowment for the Humanities
The National Endowment for the Humanities is an independent federal agency of the United States established by the National Foundation on the Arts and the Humanities Act of 1965 dedicated to supporting research, education, preservation, and public programs in the humanities. The NEH is located at...
.
On June 16, 1997 he was named one of the 100 most influential men and women in Washington by the National Journal
National Journal
National Journal is a nonpartisan American weekly magazine that reports on the current political environment and emerging political and policy trends. National Journal was first published in 1969. Times Mirror owned the magazine from 1986 to 1997, when it was purchased by David G. Bradley...
.
He has been legal counsel to:
- the Wisconsin State Legislature
- United States House of RepresentativesUnited States House of RepresentativesThe United States House of Representatives is one of the two Houses of the United States Congress, the bicameral legislature which also includes the Senate.The composition and powers of the House are established in Article One of the Constitution...
(nine years) - Committee on the JudiciaryUnited States House Committee on the JudiciaryThe U.S. House Committee on the Judiciary, also called the House Judiciary Committee, is a standing committee of the United States House of Representatives. It is charged with overseeing the administration of justice within the federal courts, administrative agencies and Federal law enforcement...
and Subcommittee on Courts, Civil Liberties, and the Administration of Justice, in the drafting of the 1976 Copyright Act, the 1980 Computer Software Amendments, and 1982 amendments to the Patent Laws.
He has also worked as an attorney with the U.S. Department of Justice
United States Department of Justice
The United States Department of Justice , is the United States federal executive department responsible for the enforcement of the law and administration of justice, equivalent to the justice or interior ministries of other countries.The Department is led by the Attorney General, who is nominated...
, as a partner at Swidler & Berlin (10 years), as an officer in the U.S. Army and is currently a member of the Bar of the District of Columbia.
On February 7, 2006, Mr. Lehman was honored as one of 23 initial inductees to the newly created International IP Hall of Fame, a project sponsored by the London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
-based Intellectual Property Asset Management Magazine.
Currently, he is President and Chairman of the International Intellectual Property Institute
International Intellectual Property Institute
The International Intellectual Property Institute is a not-for-profit 501 corporation founded in 1999 and located in Washington, DC. An international development organization and think tank, IIPI is dedicated to increasing awareness and understanding of the use of intellectual property as a tool...
(IIPI), a non-profit, non-partisan economic development organization based in Washington, D.C., and is President of the U.S. Committee for the WIPO. Concurrently, Mr. Lehman serves as an expert witness
Expert witness
An expert witness, professional witness or judicial expert is a witness, who by virtue of education, training, skill, or experience, is believed to have expertise and specialised knowledge in a particular subject beyond that of the average person, sufficient that others may officially and legally...
in intellectual property and advises clients on intellectual property related maters, both domestically and internationally.
He continues to fight against submarine patents.
Lehman is openly gay. He was the first openly gay man to be confirmed by the U.S. Senate.
External links
- Intellectual Property and the National Information Infrastructure (Report of the Working Group on Intellectual Property Rights, 1995)
- WIPO biography