“Considering the exclusive right to invention as given not of natural right, but for the benefit of society, I know well the difficulty of drawing a line between the things which are worth to the public the embarrassment of an exclusive patent, and those which are not.”

— Thomas Jefferson to Isaac McPherson, August 13, 1813

Mission

The Public Interest Patent Law Institute is a non-profit organization dedicated to ensuring the patent system promotes innovation and access for all.  Our mission is to improve the patent system’s ability to do what it’s supposed to do: encourage the creation and dissemination of technology for the public’s benefit.

Vision

The vast majority of people make or use technology, but do not participate in the patent system—among them, open source developers, research scientists, and members of historically marginalized communities. This lack of representation makes us all more vulnerable to the harm that wrongly-granted patents do to innovation, competition, and access to essential technology. Broadening public participation in the patent system protects all of us who depend on technology to earn a living, receive medical care, and communicate with each other.

Work

Our work includes monitoring patent assertion activity; connecting those wrongly accused of patent infringement with the help they need; expanding the pool of available and accessible prior art; submitting amicus briefs and comments on issues that affect innovation, competition, and access to technology; bringing together the widest-possible spectrum of interested groups to work together for positive change; and making the institutions that shape patent law more transparent and accountable to the public.  

Team

  • Alex H. Moss

    EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

    Alex Moss is the executive director of the Public Interest Patent Law Institute. Alex previously worked as a staff attorney and the Mark Cuban Chair to Eliminate Stupid Patents at the Electronic Frontier Foundation and continues to serve as a Special Advisor. Before joining EFF, she was an attorney at Sullivan & Cromwell and Durie Tangri. After graduating from Stanford Law School, she served as a judicial clerk to the Honorable Timothy B. Dyk of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit. She has argued cases in state, federal district, and appellate courts. In 2019, she spoke at the National Academy of Sciences and testified before the Senate Judiciary Committee on the state of patent-eligibility law in the U.S. Before law school, Alex worked for independent record label Rough Trade.

  • Rachel Burttram

    DIRECTOR OF ADMINISTRATION

    Rachel Burttram, Director of Administration and Communications - With a background in international business and patient advocacy, Rachel is excited to join PIPLI’s team and continue the mission of supporting public interest in the patent space. A graduate of Pace University in New York City, she has championed patients’ rights in both foreign and domestic markets. Her work in patent litigation research explores the systemic and psychological effects of long-term illness and has encouraged her passion for promoting education and outreach in innovation. She currently splits her time between Atlanta and Los Angeles, where she continues volunteer work with cognitive advocacy groups on both the east and west coasts.