David Kappos
David J. Kappos | |
|---|---|
| Born | March 3, 1961 Palos Verdes, California, U.S. |
| Occupation(s) | Lawyer, former government executive |
| Years active | 1983–present |
| Known for | Under Secretary of Commerce for Intellectual Property; Director of the United States Patent and Trademark Office (2009–2013) |
David "Dave" James Kappos (born March 3, 1961) is a lawyer and former government executive who held the position of Under Secretary of Commerce for Intellectual Property and served as Director of the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) from 2009 until 2013. He currently practices as a partner at the New York-based law firm Cravath, Swaine & Moore.
Prior to his Senate approval on August 7, 2009, Kappos worked as vice president and assistant general counsel specializing in intellectual property law at IBM Corporation. He declared his plan to resign in late January 2013, officially stepping down on February 1, 2013. Following his departure, Teresa Stanek Rea took over as Acting Under Secretary and Acting Director.
Early life and education
Born in Palos Verdes, California, on March 3, 1961, Kappos is a descendant of Greek American immigrants. He obtained a Bachelor of Science degree in electrical and computer engineering from the University of California-Davis in 1983, followed by a Juris Doctor degree from the University of California, Berkeley in 1990.
IBM career
Starting his career at IBM in 1983 as a development engineer, Kappos advanced through various positions including intellectual property attorney within IBM's Storage Division and Litigation group, IP Law Counsel for IBM's Software Group, assistant general counsel for IBM Asia/Pacific, corporate counsel at IBM, and assistant general counsel.
USPTO tenure
In August 2009, Kappos assumed the roles of Under Secretary of Commerce for Intellectual Property and Director of the USPTO. He played a pivotal role in negotiating the passage and execution of the Leahy-Smith America Invents Act, which President Obama signed into law in September 2011. This act represented the most substantial reform to the U.S. patent framework since the Patent Act of 1952.
During his administration, the USPTO reduced its patent application backlog significantly—from over 770,000 pending applications to fewer than 668,500 between 2009 and 2012. In November 2012, Kappos announced his decision to retire, concluding his tenure on February 1, 2013.
Post-USPTO career
Following his service at the USPTO, Kappos joined Cravath, Swaine & Moore where he provides legal counsel on intellectual property matters related to corporate mergers and acquisitions, litigation strategies, and financial technology. Additionally, he holds adjunct professorships teaching copyright litigation at Columbia Law School and offers legal guidance to startup general counsels at Cornell Law School.
Recognition
Kappos earned recognition as one of the “Top 25 Icons of IP” by Law360 in 2016. In 2014, he was featured in The National Law Journal's inaugural list of “Top 50 Intellectual Property Trailblazers & Pioneers.” He was also inducted into the Intellectual Property Hall of Fame by Intellectual Asset Management magazine in 2012. His board memberships include the Partnership for Public Service, the Center for Global Enterprise, and the Intellectual Property Owners Education Foundation. Moreover, he chairs both the Advisory Council of the Naples Roundtable and the U.S.-China IP Cooperation Dialogue.
External links
- Professional profile of David J. Kappos at Cravath, Swaine & Moore
- U.S. Senate Committee on the Judiciary records of David Kappos's confirmation process
- Official transcript of the Senate confirmation hearing for David Kappos, provided by the U.S. Government Printing Office