Deputy General Counsel and Director for Enrollment and Discipline

0651-AC91 202110 The Regulatory Plan and the Unified Agenda of Federal Regulatory and Deregulatory Actions 0651 Patent and Trademark Office PTO 0600 Department of Commerce DOC Changes to Representation of Others Before the United States Patent and Trademark Office

The United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO or Office) amends the Rules of Practice in Patent Cases and the rules regarding Representation of Others before the United States Patent and Trademark Office. This rulemaking aligns the USPTO Rules of Professional Conduct more closely with the American Bar Association (ABA) Model Rules of Professional Conduct. It also improves clarity in existing regulations to facilitate the public’s compliance, including revising various deadlines, the procedures concerning the registration exam, provisions related to the revocation of an individual’s registration or limited recognition in limited circumstances, and provisions for reinstatement. It makes non-substantive changes to improve the readability of various provisions as well.

]]> Info./Admin./Other Previously Published in The Unified Agenda Completed Actions No No 37 CFR 1 37 CFR 11 5 U.S.C. 500 15 U.S.C. 1123 35 U.S.C. 2(b)(2) 35 U.S.C. 32 35 U.S.C. 41 Pub. L. 113-227 No NPRM 07/30/2020 85 FR 45812 NPRM Comment Period End 09/28/2020 Final Rule 05/26/2021 86 FR 28442 Correction 06/22/2021 86 FR 32640 Final Rule Effective 06/25/2021 Correction Effective 06/25/2021 No No None No No No No William Covey Deputy General Counsel and Director for Enrollment and Discipline 0651 Patent and Trademark Office PTO 571 272-4097 571 273-0074 will.covey@uspto.gov P.O. Box 1450, Alexandria VA 22313-1450