Who was the first American woman patent lawyer? Novelty and priority in time are central to patent law, and it is especially apt to consider the pioneers who expanded diversity in the field. For those who think they know the answer to this question, this post will be surprising. She was Edith Julia Griswold (1863-1926); […]
patents
A Pioneering Black Woman Patent Attorney
Like millions of innovative individuals, MIRIAM E. BENJAMIN (1861-1947) was active in multiple inventive markets, as the patentee of two inventions, and assignee on another. However, an overlooked and unique contribution is that she was the first black woman who practiced as a patent attorney. Miriam E. Benjamin was born in South Carolina to a […]
Women and Innovation in India
Are Patents Monopolies?
Hostility to patents is associated with the notion that patents are monopolies that harm social welfare. Legal history and empirical evidence together demonstrate that this claim is based on a fundamental misunderstanding of the economics of monopoly, and of property rights in patented inventions.
Patent Waivers (or “Don’t know much about history…”)
Covid-vaccine innovation has provided a miracle to all of society, making it possible for us to recover from a devastating pandemic in just a year. Vaccines have literally meant the difference between life and death. In response to the truly heroic efforts of these enterprises, the federal government has proposed to seize their property via […]