An Interview with Sharon Barner, Former PTO Deputy Director
While at the USPTO Barner commuted back to Chicago on weekends to visit her family, choosing not to uproot her children from their schools. Since leaving the Patent and Trademark Office she has...
View ArticleExclusive Interview: USPTO Deputy Director Teresa Rea
Deputy Director Teresa Rea has now been at the USPTO for approximately 1 year, but seems as invigorated and full of energy as she did when I first met up with her. She seems to love the job and relish...
View ArticleExclusive Interview Part 2: USPTO Deputy Director Teresa Rea
Part 2 of my interview with Deputy Under Secretary Rea picks up with discussion of the America Invents Act. We generally discussed the rulemaking process, the fact that the post-grant proposed rules...
View ArticleExclusive Interview Part 3: USPTO Deputy Director Terry Rea
We begin by discussing first action allowances and whether they are frowned upon, then discuss the examination process and weave our way to Track 1 and whether you really must use Track 1 for patents...
View ArticleActing Director Teresa Rea Leaves the USPTO
Now the wait continues for the announcement of a new Director, which could come at any time. I have been hearing rumors about who it may be, but at this time I'm not ready to publicly speculate. There...
View ArticleMichelle Lee Appointed Deputy Director of the USPTO
U.S. Secretary of Commerce Penny Pritzker today announced the appointment of Michelle K. Lee as the next Deputy Under Secretary of Commerce for Intellectual Property and Deputy Director of the U.S....
View ArticlePTO Deputy Michelle Lee Says the Patent System Needs Change
If there was a major message to take away from Michelle K. Lee’s speech at Stanford Law School on Friday, June 27, it was that the patent system needs change to properly address the needs of an...
View ArticleAnother Summer Without a USPTO Director
Back on June 2, 2014, Senator Orrin Hatch (R-UT) wrote to President Obama expressing concern with the fact that the United States Patent and Trademark Office has been without a director for more than...
View Article12 Questions the Senate Should Ask Michelle Lee
This will be the first time that Lee has had a confirmation hearing. The timing suggests that the Obama Administration and Senator Reid think that they can get Lee confirmed prior to the end of this...
View ArticleMichelle Lee confirmation hearing brings questions on fee shifting,...
Michelle Lee, the current Deputy Director of the United States Patent and Trademark Office, was once again in front of a Senate Judiciary Committee panel yesterday, answering questions during her...
View ArticleMichelle Lee on patent quality, IPR and trade agreements
During our interview Lee explains that she is supportive of expanding trade agreements currently under consideration in Congress, that she looks forward to working on patent quality and receiving...
View ArticleRussell Slifer Sworn in as New USPTO Deputy Director
Director Lee announced that earlier this morning she swore in Russ Slifer to serve as the new Deputy Director of the USPTO. Slifer had been the Director of the USPTO Rocky Mountain Regional Office. He...
View ArticleAmerica Needs Startup Experience in the USPTO Director
We just don’t need another lawyer or lobbyist to run the USPTO. We need more this time. We need someone from the grassroots who understands the very real hurdles facing America's most innovative...
View ArticleLaura Peter Appointed Deputy Director of the USPTO
Secretary of Commerce Wilbur Ross today announced the appointment of Laura Peter as deputy under secretary of commerce for intellectual property and deputy director of the United States Patent and...
View ArticleTPAC Discussions Focus on Office Funding, Government Shutdown & Trademark...
The Trademark Public Advisory Committee (TPAC) held its first quarterly meeting of 2019 on January 25... Despite the projection that without a long term solution to the government shutdown funding...
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