The U.S. Section of FICPI hosted the FICPI EXCO meeting held on March 10-14, 2002, and the FICPI/APAA (Asian Patent Attorneys Association) Joint Symposium held on March 15-17, 2002, at The Four Seasons Hotel in Newport Beach, California. The attendees at both meetings enjoyed the beautiful weather and ambiance of Southern California.

There were 104 attendees at the EXCO, including 36 accompanying persons, and 262 attendees from 42 countries, including 48 accompanying persons, at the FICPI/APAA Joint Symposium.

The EXCO group was stunned to learn that the International FICPI President, Malcolm Royal, had to cancel his trip at the last minute due to a major medical problem. All of the members in attendance extended best wishes to Malcolm and wished for his speedy recovery.

A Bureau meeting and kick-off dinner were held on Saturday, March 9, and a Council lunch and meeting as well as a CET meeting were held on Sunday, March 10. The EXCO group enjoyed a performance of songs by the All-American Boys Chorus at the Opening Night reception and dinner at the Pelican Hill Clubhouse. The Boys Chorus, made up of 40 boys aged 7 to 14, was led by a very dramatic and entertaining conductor.

EXCO sessions were held all day on Monday and Tuesday and on Thursday morning. The accompanying persons travelled on Monday to the Warner Brothers studio in Hollywood and to Rodeo Drive, the famous shopping street in Beverly Hills, and on Tuesday to Laguna Beach for an art walk to the galleries there. Lunch was enjoyed at the world-famous Spago Restaurant on Monday and at a typical Mexican-style restaurant at an oceanside site on Tuesday.

On Monday evening, the EXCO attendees went on a dinner cruise on an elegant yacht in Newport Harbour, one of the most famous yacht harbours in the world. A highlight of the week was the outdoor dinner at Mission San Juan Capistrano on Tuesday evening, March 12. Since the swallows return to Capistrano each year on March 19, the FICPI EXCO group only missed their return by one week, although some advance scouts were seen in the area that evening.

Wednesday, March 13, was the day out for all, and the group took a trip to San Diego to visit Balboa Park and its many museums and to an exclusive restaurant on the Pacific Ocean in La Jolla, one of the most beautiful residential cities in California. Wednesday evening was a free night.

Thursday was a free day for the accompanying persons. The EXCO met on Thursday morning to approve Judge Paul R. Michel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit (CAFC) as a Member of Honour and to debate and formulate several resolutions stemming from the workshops and discussions held during the week. A CET meeting followed the close of the EXCO sessions.

The EXCO ended with a Gala Dinner-Dance at the Palm Garden, located on The Four Seasons Hotel property. The group again reaffirmed its best wishes for the speedy recovery of the FICPI President, Malcolm Royal.

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