Join us at one of our regular or annual events.



Upcoming events

    • 04 May 2025
    • 07 May 2025
    • Westin Alexandria
    Register


    • 04 May 2025
    • 3:00 PM
    • 07 May 2025
    • 3:00 PM
    • The Westin Alexandria, 400 Courthouse Square, Alexandria, VA 22314
    Register

    PIUG 2025 Annual Conference

    Sunday, May 4 - Wednesday, May 7, 2025

    The Westin Alexandria

    400 Courthouse Square
    Alexandria, VA 22314
    +1-703-253-8600

    As you make your plans to attend, be sure to check out the many ways you can make the most out of your conference experience. 

    The plenary sessions and workshops run from Sunday to Wednesday, but you’ll have many great opportunities to learn and connect throughout the conference. Be sure your travel plans account for: 

    • Sunday May 4: PIUG Course, Conference Warm-up For First Time Attendees, and the Opening Reception! 
    • Monday, May 5: a PIUG-sponsored Dinner and drinks with colleagues and friends.
    • Tuesday, May 6: Opportunities for informal dine-arounds in the evening Bring your curiosity!
    • Wednesday, May 7: Vendor Workshops
    Some details, such as vendor workshop registration links, still need to be finalized. Bookmark the links and return often.
    • 21 May 2025
    • 11:00 AM - 12:30 PM
    • Zoom Meeting
    • 496
    Register

    This is PIUG's Annual Business Meeting which is being held virtually.  We hope you will be able to attend.  Registration is free, but requested, so that we can determine how many attending the business meeting are from the Conference and how many are not.  Thank you for your participation in this annual business meeting.

    Here is the agenda.

    • Report from the PIUG Chair
    • PIUG Committee Reports & Updates
    • Questions & Comments & Discussion

    Committee Reports

    • Treasurer's Report 
    • PIUG 2025 Conference Report –Scott Hertzog and Devin Salmon
    • Certification Committee Report—Ron Kaminecki
    • Partnerships and Patent Offices Committee Report—Ron Kaminecki
    • Education and Training Committee Report—John Zabilski
    When registration is received, please keep the Confirmation Email sent to you because it contains the link to the webinar.

Past events

03 Apr 2025 Introduction to Patent Analytics and Technical Intelligence
19 Mar 2025 Finding and Understanding Legal Status Information
12 Mar 2025 Patent Searching – Beyond the Basics
27 Feb 2025 Patent Classification
19 Feb 2025 Essential Patent Search Techniques
12 Feb 2025 Choosing and Evaluating Patent Searching Resources
18 Dec 2024 How to Leverage Patent Landscape Studies for Strategic Competitive Intelligence
11 Dec 2024 Introduction and Update on the Unitary Patent
20 Nov 2024 PCT Patent Law and Practice for Patent Information Professionals
13 Nov 2024 European and PCT Patent Law and Practice for Patent Information Professionals
13 Nov 2024 European Patent Law and Practice for Patent Information Professionals
16 Oct 2024 Leveraging AI to Ensure Comprehensive and Cost-Effective Patent Searches
22 May 2024 PIUG 2024 Annual Business Meeting
08 May 2024 2024 Conference Workshops
06 May 2024 Ballgame Group Outing - Cubs vs Padres
05 May 2024 PIUG Course - Essential Patent Search Techniques For IP Professionals
17 Apr 2024 Best Practices for Citation Searching Webinar
21 Feb 2024 Navigating the Future: AI-Guided Search from a User's Perspective
07 Feb 2024 Navigating the Future: Enhancing Patent Searches Through AI Mastery
17 Jan 2024 Honing Your Skills: Saving Time and Money While Looking Awesome to Your Clients
13 Dec 2023 Best Practices for Validity and Opposition Supporting Patent Searches
15 Nov 2023 Best Practices: Novel Approaches for Novelty Searching
27 Sep 2023 Best Practices for Identifying Freedom-to-Operate
26 Jul 2023 Mastering Patent Classification: Additional Points about Classification Websites as Sources for Searching; Addressing 10 Common Mistakes in Classification Searching.
12 Jul 2023 Mastering Patent Classification: Detailed Examination of the FI System + User Tools for Developing FI & F-term Search Strategies
28 Jun 2023 Mastering Patent Classification: Detailed Examination of the CPC (Part 2 of 2) + User Tools for Developing CPC Search Strategies
14 Jun 2023 Mastering Patent Classification: Overview of Weakness & Strengths of Different Classification Systems + Detailed Examination of the CPC (Part 1 of 2)
17 May 2023 PIUG 2023 Annual Business Meeting
01 May 2023 Evening Dinner Cruise and River Tour
30 Apr 2023 PIUG 2023 Annual Conference
19 Apr 2023 Patent Law for Searchers
15 Mar 2023 Best Practices for Searching IP5 Literature
15 Feb 2023 Best Practices for Searching Non-Patent Literature
18 Jan 2023 The Unitary Patent (UP) and Unified Patent Court (UPC)
14 Dec 2022 Best Practices for Patent Searching - Medical Devices Information
16 Nov 2022 Best Practices for Patent Searching - Biotechnology Information
19 Oct 2022 Best Practices for Patent Searching - Chemical Patent Information
28 Sep 2022 Best Practices for Patent Searching - Engineering Technologies
10 May 2022 PIUG 2022 Annual Business Meeting
01 May 2022 PIUG 2022 Annual Conference
01 Mar 2022 STN Workshop: What's New in STNext
01 Mar 2022 BizInt Workshop: What's New - Creating IP Sequence Reports with BizInt Smart Charts for Patents
01 Mar 2022 GenomeQuest Workshop: What’s New in 2022
01 Mar 2022 Questel Workshop
15 Dec 2021 Finding and Understanding Legal Status Information
15 Sep 2021 Understanding Intellectual Property for Patent Searchers
15 Sep 2021 Virtual Patent Searching Fundamentals Course (7 Sessions)
08 Jun 2021 PIUG 2021 Annual Business Meeting
28 May 2021 STN Patent Forum
24 May 2021 BizInt: What's New in BizInt Smart Charts?
24 May 2021 Clarivate: The Trifecta of Expert Curated Data: SequenceBase, Derwent Innovation & Innography
24 May 2021 Relativity: Introducing Patent Search & Analytics from Relativity
24 May 2021 IFI Claims: Direct Data in Tableau
24 May 2021 Aptean: GenomeQuest Discover Analysis – Prioritization and Annotation Strategies
24 May 2021 Minesoft: The changing face of patent software solutions, what’s next on the horizon at Minesoft?
24 May 2021 Questel: Orbit BioSequence and the many uses of combinations
24 May 2021 WIPO: WIPO’s global patent database PATENTSCOPE: what’s new?
24 May 2021 Ambercite: The Importance of Alternative Search Methodologies – How Ambercite can enhance your search capabilities
24 May 2021 EPO: Taming the dragon: how to tackle CN legal event data
24 May 2021 PIUG 2021 Combined Annual and Biotechnology Virtual Conference
09 Dec 2020 Legal Status - Webinar Series
30 Oct 2020 USPTO Initiatives: Cooperative Patent Classification (CPC)
30 Oct 2020 STN Patent Forum
30 Oct 2020 AI assisted reading for faster understanding of patent texts
26 Oct 2020 Expanding Patentability: A Novel Approach Using a Non-Obvious Data Source
26 Oct 2020 Preferred Patent Lineup and Automated Antibody Search Report
26 Oct 2020 Get Up To Date with BizInt Smart Charts
26 Oct 2020 Meet the new Derwent Innovation
26 Oct 2020 Part 1 - What's new in Orbit Intelligence?; Part 2 - FAMPAT FOUNDATIONS, Detecting and Repairing the Dysfunctional Family
26 Oct 2020 Introducing PatBase 2.0, the biggest ever update to the PatBase
26 Oct 2020 Why another monitoring tool? FIZ PatMon – Specific, Broad, and Flexible
26 Oct 2020 PIUG 2020 Annual Conference
13 May 2020 PIUG 2020 Annual Business Meeting
25 Feb 2020 PIUG 2020 Biotechnology Conference
23 Sep 2019 PIUG 2019 Northeast Regional Conference
08 May 2019 “The wonderful world of WIPO standards”
08 May 2019 Artificial Intelligence Basics for Patent Professionals
08 May 2019 Leveraging CPC for Search
05 May 2019 Delivering Patent Analytics With a Punch
05 May 2019 Updates to PatBase & PatDocs, introducing IPShare and What to Expect Next from Minesoft…
05 May 2019 Latest Innovations: optimize your IP analysis
05 May 2019 Advances in Sequence Searching: GQ Discover Browser, Sequence Variation Discovery Module and CAS BiosequencesTM Access
05 May 2019 Get Up to Date with BizInt Smart Charts for Patents
05 May 2019 Patent Portfolio Maintenance: Benchmarking Current Practices
05 May 2019 Google Patents for Power Users
05 May 2019 Google Patents Public Datasets
04 May 2019 PIUG Fundamentals of Patent Searching
04 May 2019 PIUG Introduction to Patent Searching and Fundamentals
04 May 2019 PIUG Introduction to Patent Searching
04 May 2019 PIUG 2019 Annual Conference
22 Apr 2019 Webinar 4: Producing Patent Landscape Reports that will be Read and Used by Senior Management
21 Mar 2019 Webinar 3: Generating Spatial Concept Maps
28 Feb 2019 Webinar 2: Using PivotTables and MS Excel to Generate Simple Charts, Graphs and Tables
21 Feb 2019 Resources of Interest
21 Feb 2019 The Patent Examination Process Including Different Approaches to Searching at the USPTO
21 Feb 2019 The Meat Inside the WIPO Standard ST.26 Nutshell; The Details of Sequence Listings in Patent Applications
19 Feb 2019 PIUG 2019 Biotechnology Conference
24 Jan 2019 Preparing Patent Analytics Projects and Patent Landscape Reports – Hands-On Lessons
24 Jan 2019 Webinar 1: The Linear Law of Patent Analysis, Patent Family Reductions and Assignee Cleanups
31 Oct 2018 PIUG Freedom to Operate Fundamentals: Comprehensive Techniques for Researching Freedom to Operate
10 Oct 2018 Exploring Artificial Intelligence in the Art of Patent Searching
08 Oct 2018 PIUG 2018 Northeast Conference
10 May 2018 Sneak Preview of New Espacenet
05 May 2018 USPTO Initiatives: Global Dossier and eCommerce Modernization Workshop
05 May 2018 USPTO Initiatives: Cooperative Patent Classification (CPC)
05 May 2018 Patent Information & Intelligence That Senior Managers Really Need…
05 May 2018 PIUG 2018 Annual Conference
20 Mar 2018 Patent Searching Fundamentals Course - Spring 2018
20 Feb 2018 Searching Peptides and Proteins and Second Medical Use Claims
20 Feb 2018 PIUG 2018 Biotechnology Conference
01 Nov 2017 PIUG Freedom to Operate Fundamentals: Comprehensive Techniques for Researching Freedom to Operate
31 Oct 2017 PIUG Introduction to Patent Searching - 2017
27 Sep 2017 Searching Combination Sets in CPC
25 Sep 2017 PIUG 2017 Northeast Conference
25 May 2017 What’s new in CPC – recent changes and Searching in CPC - Practical Tips
21 May 2017 Global Patent Dossier - 2017
20 May 2017 The EPO Patent Information Products Road Show - 2017
20 May 2017 “Making it to the Premiership” – a review of the rising stars in the IP information space.
20 May 2017 PIUG 2017 Annual Conference
22 Mar 2017 Patent Searching Fundamentals Course - Spring 2017
27 Feb 2017 Searching Biotechnological Inventions under the EPC
27 Feb 2017 PIUG 2017 Biotechnology Conference
09 Nov 2016 PIUG Freedom to Operate Fundamentals: Comprehensive Techniques for Researching Freedom to Operate
28 Sep 2016 Search Methodology: As Important as the Tools and Databases
28 Sep 2016 USPTO New Initiatives: Global Dossier and Patent Center
26 Sep 2016 PIUG 2016 Northeast Conference
26 May 2016 EPO's PATSTAT Online
22 May 2016 Global Patent Dossier
21 May 2016 Connecting, Engaging, and Making Your Case: How To Communicate Your Value To People Who Don't Understand What You Do
21 May 2016 Patent Law Fundamentals for Patent Information Specialists
21 May 2016 Understanding "Europe"
21 May 2016 PIUG 2016 Annual Conference
30 Mar 2016 Patent Searching Fundamentals Course
22 Feb 2016 PIUG 2016 Biotechnology Conference
12 Nov 2015 PIUG Freedom to Operate Fundamentals: Comprehensive Techniques for Researching Freedom to Operate
14 Oct 2015 USPTO Workshop - Global Dossier Focus Session
12 Oct 2015 PIUG 2015 Northeast Conference
07 May 2015 Searching in CPC - Practical Tips
02 May 2015 The EPO Patent Information Products Road Show
02 May 2015 Patent Documentation from South America: Procedures, Sources and Uses.
02 May 2015 Patent Law Fundamentals for Patent Information Specialists
02 May 2015 PIUG 2015 Annual Conference
19 Feb 2015 Patent Searching Fundamentals Course
16 Feb 2015 PIUG 2015 Biotechnology Conference
29 Sep 2014 PIUG 2014 Northeast Conference
01 May 2014 CPC Workshop
01 May 2014 Advanced Strategies for Searching Patents in Any Source
26 Apr 2014 EPO Road Show
26 Apr 2014 Fundamentals of Current Patent Law
26 Apr 2014 IP in Africa - Shedding Light on the "Dark Continent"
26 Apr 2014 PIUG 2014 Annual Conference
27 Feb 2014 Patent Information Fundamentals Course
24 Feb 2014 PIUG 2014 Biotechnology Conference
30 Sep 2013 PIUG 2013 Northeast Conference
02 May 2013 CPC Workshop by USPTO and EPO
02 May 2013 AIA Workshop by the USPTO
30 Apr 2013 USPTO Tour Arranged Specifically for PIUG
27 Apr 2013 Personal Branding: Communicating the Authentic You
27 Apr 2013 Fundamentals of Current Patent Law
27 Apr 2013 Soft Skills and Squidgy Answers: The Importance of Presenting Useable Search Output to the Client
27 Apr 2013 PIUG 2013 Annual Conference
27 Apr 2013 Patinformatics: The Next Generation
26 Feb 2013 PIUG 2013 Biotech Meeting
25 Oct 2012 Patent Information Fundamentals Course