Best Practices for Identifying Freedom-to-Operate

John Zabilski (BIO)

Chair, PIUG Education Committee

Abstract: A Freedom-to-Operate (aka Freedom-to-Practice or Clearance) search is one of the fundamental searches that patent information professionals need to master. FTO search results provide details on what is legally protected and can yield insight into making informed business decisions. This webinar provides understanding of the fundamental concepts of FTO, identifies essential resources and provides focused strategies for performing FTO searches.

Case studies demonstrate best practices for performing a FTO search. Learn how to utilize freely accessible resources for searching claimed content and to determine what is legally in-force, including INPADOC, national patent office registers, and vendor offerings. Whether you are new to performing FTO searches or more experienced, this session provides focused techniques that save your time and make you more effective in achieving accurate results.