USPTO Extends After Final Pilot | IPWatchdog.com | Patents ...

USPTO Extends After Final Consideration Pilot to Sept. 30, 2012

Washington ? The United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) has extended its After Final Consideration Pilot (AFCP) to Sept. 30, 2012. Originally scheduled to end on June 16, 2012, the extension of the AFCP will give more stakeholders the opportunity to have their patent applications given enhanced consideration after a final rejection. The extension will also enable the USPTO to gather additional data to evaluate the pilot and identify best practices for compact prosecution.

The AFCP is one of the USPTO?s ongoing efforts to increase collaboration between examiners and stakeholders and to encourage compact prosecution. Originally launched on March 25, 2012, the pilot has shown an increase in allowance rates for applications after final rejection.

To learn more about the AFCP, visit www.uspto.gov/patents/init_events/afcp.jsp.

For additional information, contact Katherine Matecki, by telephone at (571) 272?5250 or Kathy.Matecki@uspto.gov.

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EDITOR?S NOTE: If you have not tried to use the After Final Pilot you should really give it a try. ?At our firm we have found examiners quite willing to work with us After Final under the Pilot Program and have had successful results. ?While not appropriate to do everything you really may want to do After Final, many times you can make at least some substantive changes that would have normally required the filing of an RCE or Continuation. ?I personally think the Pilot has already proven to be a success and hope that the USPTO will continue to extend the deadline until this can ultimately be made permanent.

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USPTO Adds Advancement of Examination Option to the Patent Law School Clinic Certification Pilot Program

Washington ? The United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO), working in conjunction with the Patent Office Professional Association (POPA) announced today that the Patent Law School Clinic Certification Pilot Program will add a Petition to Make Special component. Schools participating in the program will be allowed a set number of applications to be advanced out of turn each semester beginning with the upcoming fall 2012 academic year.

The new Petition to Make Special component to the program provides more immediate response for participating students because the applications they file are more likely to receive substantive examination within the school year. The Law School Clinic program allows law students to practice patent law before the agency under the guidance of a law school faculty clinic supervisor. Each law school clinical program must meet and maintain the requirements for USPTO certification in order for student practitioners to practice before the USPTO.

?We look forward to expanding this successful program and adding the ability of the law schools to advance a limited number of patent applications for examination,? said Under Secretary of Commerce for Intellectual Property and Director of the USPTO, David J. Kappos. ?Providing real-world experience for law students while delivering pro bono services to the community will better prepare the students with the tools necessary to tackle the complexities of intellectual property law that are so important in today?s innovation economy.?

The participating law school clinical programs provide patent legal services to independent inventors and small businesses on a pro bono basis. Clinic clients can expect to receive patentability searches and opinions, advice from clinic law students regarding their IP needs under the supervision of a faculty practitioner, drafting and filing of patent applications, and representation before the USPTO.

For additional information, contact Melinda DeAtley, by telephone at (571) 272?4097 or Melinda.DeAtley@uspto.gov.

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