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[klaviernista]

In the relatively near future, I will be leaving my in-house position to take a mid-senior level associate position with a local firm.  Since my commute will be increasing to ~25-30 minutes each way (normal in my state), I started thinking about how I could make the best use of my in-car commute time.

As a busy attorney, one thing I have always struggled with is finding the time to keep up with Federal Circuit case law and BPAI decisions.  It is particularly hard to find the time to read decisions that do not pertain specifically to my primary area of practice, which most folks here know is patent prosecution.  So, I have started to think about ways I could help myself and other busy attorneys tackle this issue without using any "working" hours (i.e., hours that would normally be billed to a project).

My latest idea, which may prove unworkable, is a "case a day" IP audio blog.  In essence, it would consist of me or a colleague reading the text of a Federal Circuit case or a BPAI opinion.  Alternatively, the speech could be generated by using one of the text to speech tools that are commonly available, such as the text 2 speech engine that is built into Adobe Acrobat Pro (if accurate, the latter could be a much better option as it requires significantly less effort on my part). Periodically, the audio blog could focus on particular topics within the relevant area of law, e.g., "induced infringement week,"  "Damages week," "BPAI madness week" etc.  The goal is to make a "case on tape" that attorneys can listen to during their morning/afternoon commute. 

Is this something any of you would find useful?  Given the subject matter, I recognize that an audio blog such as this has the potential to be exceedingly dull.  But it does seem to address a problem by repurposing time that would otherwise be wasted.

[Isaac]

Since my commute will be increasing to ~25-30 minutes each way (normal in my state), I started thinking about how I could make the best use of my in-car commute time.

I hope you aren't driving while you do this!   It seems to me that you (or even you and a cohort) are going to have to put an even bigger hole in your day than you would if you  simply read the cases yourself.  Surely reading the cases aloud is going to take at least twice as long as reading them to yourself.

In essence, it would consist of me or a colleague reading the text of a Federal Circuit case or a BPAI opinion.

This wouldn't work for me.  Listening would consume far more of my time than would reading the case.  Brief the case instead, and maybe you've got something for me to think about until I get to read the case.  Admittedly, I don't drive to work, so I can chose between reading and listening. 
 

such as the text 2 speech engine that is built into Adobe Acrobat Pro (if accurate, the latter could be a much better option as it requires significantly less effort on my part).

Not the best approach.  Adobe Acrobat is very accurate in my experience but it is a droner. You wouldn't invite it to open mike night.

Periodically, the audio blog could focus on particular topics within the relevant area of law, e.g., "induced infringement week,"  "Damages week," "BPAI madness week" etc.

This  part I'd find worthwhile.

[khazzah]

In essence, it would consist of me or a colleague reading the text of a Federal Circuit case or a BPAI opinion.

I don't absorb complicated or detailed information very efficiently by listening. And an opinion has plenty of details. So I'm going to have to read, not listen, in order to make sense of it.

I agree with Isaac that if you brief the case, ie, remove the details, then it would be more helpful. Personally, I'm a really fast reader, so even with a case brief I'd only choose to listen over read if I had a commuting situation like yours. (And I don't.)

But everyone absorbs information differently, and for all I know, I'm in the minority among patent lawyers (the relevant audience).

[Kaitlin]

Nice thought, Klav.

I think a daily digest and commentary would be particularly useful, although it might take too much of your time to create.

A reading of a case of the day could be good, too -- but only if it wasn't too long.

More importantly, though, the audio should be well-read by someone who is both talented enough and knows IP well enough to use appropriate and engaging inflection in the reading. 

Such a person is not an automated reader.  That would be the kiss of death, in my opinion.  It takes more than the simple reading of a string of words to convey meaning that can be grasped without overly taxing the concentration -- a particularly important point if the auditor is to be driving at the same time, and therefore multitasking with potential life-and-death decisions.  I can see only two possible results for automated voice reading of IP cases: either it will distract the driver from crucial traffic observations or will put the driver to sleep outright. 

Good luck with the project!

[Isaac]

I think a daily digest and commentary would be particularly useful, although it might take too much of your time to create.

Don't worry about the time to create this stuff.   I would still enjoy the digest/commentary even if it were up to a week behind the opinions being released.  Feel fee to devote your entire weekend to getting out some quality audio; or even video!   And feel free to cherry pick the BPAI cases if you insist on having some time to yourself.