Tuesday 23 July 2019

"Decluttering" the U.S. Trademark Register?

The USPTO recently announced that “foreign-domiciled trademark applicants, registrants, and parties to [TTAB] proceedings" must secure a U.S. attorney.  At least part of the justification for this new requirement is the filing of apparently fraudulent applications.  This may help declutter the U.S. Trademark Register—to the extent you believe there is a clutter problem.  I plan to open my own law office soon to provide low cost and quality U.S. trademark services (lol).  Here is some more detail concerning the requirement with helpful links to more information: 


  • Foreign-domiciled trademark applicants, registrants, and parties to Trademark Trial and Appeal Board proceedings, including Canadian trademark filers, must be represented at the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) by an attorney who is licensed to practice law in the United States. See more about foreign-domiciled trademark applicants, registrants, and parties.
  • U.S.-licensed attorneys representing trademark filers must provide all of the following:
      • Their name, postal address, and email address
      • A statement attesting to their active membership in good standing of a bar of the highest court of a U.S. state, commonwealth, or territory
      • Information concerning their bar membership (state, number if applicable, and year of admission).

      See more about U.S.-licensed attorneys.

  • Canadian patent agents will no longer be authorized to represent Canadian trademark applicants, registrants, or parties before the USPTO in trademark matters. See more about Canadian patent agents.
  • Canadian trademark attorneys and agents will continue, if eligible, to be recognized as additionally appointed practitioners who can represent their Canadian clients, although the USPTO will correspond only with the appointed U.S.-licensed attorney. See more about Canadian trademark attorneys and agents.

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