U.S. Patent and Trademark Office Director David Kappos, who is credited by many with helping enhance the transparency of the U.S. patent system while reducing the backlog of patent claims, has announced that he will step down in February. The office is working to implement the America Invents Act, which calls for reforms such as a switch to a first-to-file system. "Over the next five years there's going to be a lot of uncertainty, a lot of rule making that's going to be required to effectively implement the AIA, and David Kappos was such a great leader," said Jack Barufka, a lawyer who specializes in intellectual property.