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OMB Control No: 0651-0081	ICR Reference No: 202603-0651-001
Status: Received in OIRA	Previous ICR Reference No: 202501-0651-002
Agency/Subagency: DOC/PTO	Agency Tracking No:
Title: Law School Clinic Certification Program
Type of Information Collection: Revision of a currently approved collection	Common Form ICR: No
Type of Review Request: Regular	Date Submitted to OIRA: 04/07/2026

	Requested	Previously Approved
Expiration Date	36 Months From Approved	05/31/2026
Responses	1,025	925
Time Burden (Hours)	1,397	1,241
Cost Burden (Dollars)	61	46

Abstract: Public Law 113–227 (Dec. 16, 2014) requires the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) to establish regulations and procedures for application to, and participation in, the USPTO Law School Clinic Certification Program (LSCCP). The LSCCP Program allows students enrolled in a participating law school’s clinic to practice patent or trademark law before the USPTO under the direct supervision of a faculty clinic supervisor. Each clinic provides legal services on a pro bono basis for clients who qualify for assistance from the law school’s clinic. By drafting, filing, and prosecuting patent and trademark applications, students gain valuable experience that would otherwise be unavailable to them while in law school. The program also facilitates the provision of pro bono services to trademark and patent applicants who lack the financial resources necessary for traditional legal representation. In 2020, there were 60 law schools participating. This information collection covers the applications from law schools that wish to enter the program, faculty advisors who seek to become a faculty clinic supervisor, and students who seek to participate in this program. The information collection also includes the required biannual reports from participating law school clinics and biennial renewals required by the program as well as the request to make special under the Law School Clinic Certification Program, which allows a limited number of applications per semester to be advanced out of turn (accorded special status) for examination if the applicant makes the appropriate showing, to provide law students with practical experience as they will be more likely to receive substantive examination of applications within the school year that the application is filed.

Authorizing Statute(s): PL: Pub.L. 113 - 227 1 Name of Law: USPTO LAW SCHOOL CLINIC CERTIFICATION PROGRAM

Citations for New Statutory Requirements: None

Associated Rulemaking Information
RIN:	Stage of Rulemaking:	Federal Register Citation:	Date:
	Not associated with rulemaking

Federal Register Notices & Comments
60-day Notice:	Federal Register Citation:	Citation Date:
	90 FR 59798	12/22/2025
30-day Notice:	Federal Register Citation:	Citation Date:
	91 FR 17635	04/07/2026
Did the Agency receive public comments on this ICR? No

ICR Summary of Burden

	Total Request	Previously Approved	Change Due to Agency Discretion	Change Due to Adjustment in Estimate
Annual Number of Responses	1,025	925	-5	105
Annual Time Burden (Hours)	1,397	1,241	-5	161
Annual Cost Burden (Dollars)	61	46	0	15

Burden increases because of Program Change due to Agency Discretion: No

Burden Increase Due to:

Burden decreases because of Program Change due to Agency Discretion: Yes

Burden Reduction Due to: Changing Forms

Short Statement: Change in Responses and Hourly Burden due to Agency Discretion The USPTO ended the stand alone request to make special under the Law School Program for Law students. Petitions to make special in various categories are still available to Law Clinic students, but those petitions are now consolidated in OMB control number 0651-0031 (Patent Processing) or 0651-0059 (Patent Petitions). These change decreased the number of responses by 5 and reduced the number of burden hours in this information collection by a corresponding 5 hours. Change in Responses and Hourly Burden due to Adjustment in Agency Estimate The total number of responses has decreased by 105 due to estimated fluctuations in the number of respondents in this information collection. There is an increase of 161 hours in the annual time burden estimates due to these fluctuations in response numbers. Change in Annual Non-hour Costs due to Adjustment in Agency Estimate For this renewal, the USPTO estimates that the total annual non-hour costs will increase by $14 from the previous approval. This increase is due to changes in postage costs.

Annual Cost to Federal Government: $65,424

Does this IC contain surveys, censuses, or employ statistical methods? No

Does this ICR request any personally identifiable information (see OMB Circular No. A-130 for an explanation of this term)? Please consult with your agency's privacy program when making this determination. Yes

Does this ICR include a form that requires a Privacy Act Statement (see 5 U.S.C. §552a(e)(3))? Please consult with your agency's privacy program when making this determination. Yes

Is this ICR related to the Affordable Care Act [Pub. L. 111-148 & 111-152]? No

Is this ICR related to the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act, [Pub. L. 111-203]? No

Is this ICR related to the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA)? No

Is this ICR related to the Pandemic Response? No

Agency Contact: Howard Reitz 571 272-4097 reitz.howard@uspto.gov

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