Scott Boalick Appointed Chief Judge of the Patent Trial and Appeal Board

From the USPTO:

The United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) announced today the appointment of Scott Boalick as Chief Judge for the Patent Trial and Appeal Board (PTAB). Boalick has served as the acting Chief Judge for the PTAB since September 2018. Boalick begins his permanent role today.

"The USPTO has implemented key PTAB reforms over the last year, and Scott Boalick has been essential in helping develop and carry out these updates," said Under Secretary of Commerce for Intellectual Property and Director of the USPTO Andrei Iancu. "Chief Judge Boalick will continue leading PTAB's efforts to ensure that its proceedings are balanced and transparent, while also working toward a one-year pendency for completion of ex parte appeals, and implementing the Office's new 101 Guidance."

"We have a hard-working and highly capable PTAB team. It has been my honor and privilege to work with the talented judges and staff at the Board for nearly 12 years and I am excited to have the opportunity to serve as its Chief Judge," said Boalick.

Boalick was appointed to the Board in 2007. Prior to becoming the acting chief judge, he served as an administrative patent judge, lead judge, vice chief judge, and deputy chief judge. Boalick was previously a patent attorney with the Department of the Navy at the Naval Surface Warfare Center Carderock Division and the Naval Surface Warfare Center Dahlgren Laboratory. Before that, he practiced with Fish & Richardson in Washington, D.C., where he counseled clients on all aspects of protecting intellectual property, including patent acquisition, portfolio management, and litigation. Boalick also served as a law clerk to the Hon. Alvin A. Schall of the United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit.

Boalick began his career as an officer in the U.S. Navy, serving as a division officer on the USS Mobile Bay (CG-53) and as an instructor at the Surface Warfare Officer School. After his active duty service, he worked as a radar systems engineer at Technology Service Corporation.

Boalick earned a J.D., magna cum laude, from Georgetown University Law Center where he was a Notes and Comments Editor of The Georgetown Law Journal and received the Leon Robbin Patent Award.He earned both an M.S.E. in Systems Engineering and a B.S.E. in Electrical Engineering, magna cum laude, from the University of Pennsylvania.

Also today, the USPTO announced that Jacqueline Bonilla has been appointed as the Deputy Chief Judge of the PTAB, having served as the acting deputy chief judge of the PTAB since September 2018. Bonilla will also begin her position today.

Since her appointment as an administrative patent judge in January 2012, Bonilla has conducted numerous post-grant patent trials under the America Invents Act, heard appeals from adverse examiner decisions in patent applications and reexamination proceedings, and rendered decisions in interferences. Previously, Bonilla worked for 12 years in private practice, including as a partner at Foley & Lardner, LLP. She also served as a law clerk to the Hon. Randall Rader at the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit. Bonilla graduated from the University of Virginia School of Law and holds a Ph.D. in pharmacology from the University of Virginia. She received her B.A. in biochemistry from the University of California, Berkeley.

"I look forward to working with Chief Judge Boalick, Deputy Chief Judge Bonilla, as well as the rest of the Patent Trial and Appeal Board as we continue to strive for excellence and a well-balanced patent system," said Iancu.