Deputy General Counsel and Director for Enrollment and Discipline

0651-AD67 202304 Unified Agenda of Federal Regulatory and Deregulatory Actions 0651 Patent and Trademark Office PTO 0600 Department of Commerce DOC Changes to the Representation of Others in Design Patent Matters Before the United States Patent and Trademark Office

The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO or Office) proposes to amend the rules of practice in patent cases and the rules regarding the representation of others before the USPTO. In particular, this rulemaking proposes to create a separate design patent practitioner bar wherein admitted design patent practitioners would practice in design patent proceedings only. Presently, there is only one patent bar that applies to those who practice in patent matters before the Office, including in the utility and design patent areas. The potential creation of a design patent practitioner bar would not impact the ability of those already registered to practice in any patent matters, including design patent matters, before the USPTO. It would also not impact the ability of applicants who meet the current criteria, including qualifying for and passing the current registration exam, to practice in any patent matters before the Office.

]]> Substantive, Nonsignificant First Time Published in The Unified Agenda Proposed Rule Stage No No 37 CFR 1 37 CFR 11 37 CFR 41 35 U.S.C. 2(b)(2)(D) No NPRM 05/16/2023 88 FR 31209 NPRM Comment Period End 08/14/2023 Final Action 11/00/2023 Final Action Effective 12/00/2023 No None 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