As we approach the one-year anniversary of the enactment of the America Invents Act (AIA), we highlight below several important provisions that will take effect as of September 16, 2012.

*Patent Trial and Appeal Board: The Board of Patent Appeals and Interferences is replaced with the Patent Trial and Appeal Board with duties including: (1) reviewing adverse decisions of examiners pursuant to section 134(a), (2) reviewing appeals of reexaminations pursuant to section 134(b), (3) conducting derivation proceedings pursuant to section 135, and (4) conducting inter partes reviews and post-grant reviews pursuant to chapters 31 and 32.

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