Two USPTO Updates Address How Business Gets Done in 2022

In the past week, the USPTO has implemented two new policies designed to better address how applicants and law firms work in 2022.

Electronic Trademark Certificates

First, as of May 24, 2022, the USPTO has moved to issuing only electronic trademark certificates, a practical development for those who have moved to paperless platforms over the past few years. The USPTO is sending these notices to both the attorney of record and to the applicant directly – to the extent an applicant email is of record.

Our firm received a handful of these on “opening day” and found that the email notices were easy to navigate. The certificates downloaded easily via TSDR.

For those who would like a “presentation copy” of their trademark registration certificate, suitable for display and framing, these are available for free upon request to trademark owners who filed an initial application before May 24, 2022. Owners who filed an initial application on or after May 24, 2022 can purchase one for $25.

Additional Time to Sign

Second, the USPTO has increased the time signatories have to sign TEAS forms from 14 to 60 days when using the “email text to second party for signature method.” This is particularly helpful for non-urgent filings sent to clients far in advance of deadlines and is certainly appreciated as we head into the summer vacation season!

This article appeared in the May 2022 issue of MarkIt to Market®. To view our past issues, as well as other firm newsletters, please click here.