USPTO to Open Regional Office in Atlanta

In this episode, we're delving into the USPTO's  recent announcement about expanding their footprint with a new regional office in the Atlanta metro area as well as a new outreach center in Strafford County, New Hampshire.

Read the full article.

About the authors
Preston H. Heard
Brendan T. O'Dea

Transcript

Welcome to Womble Perspectives, where we explore a wide range of topics, from the latest legal updates to industry trends to the business of law. Our team of lawyers, professionals and occasional outside guests will take you through the most pressing issues facing businesses today and provide practical and actionable advice to help you navigate the ever changing legal landscape.

With a focus on innovation, collaboration and client service. We are committed to delivering exceptional value to our clients and to the communities we serve. And now our latest episode.

On December 13th, the United States Patent and Trademark Office announced some major news for patent owners and practitioners in the Southeast. The agency plans to open a new regional office in the Atlanta metro area. 

In addition, the office will also establish a new community outreach office in Strafford County, New Hampshire, catering to the inventive population of Northern New England.

These forthcoming facilities are designed to bring the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office’s services closer to inventors and entrepreneurs at a local level, with an inclusive approach towards those from historically underrepresented groups. The Atlanta office is expected to be fully operational by December of 2025, followed closely by the New Hampshire office.

The initiative to launch these offices is part of the implementation of the Unleashing American Innovators Act of 2022, enacted in December of that same year. Atlanta was selected for the Southeast Regional Office due to its dynamic and diverse economic landscape, abundance of federal and private support for start-ups and innovators, and a thriving research ecosystem. This includes five Tier 1 research universities, a top-ranked Veterans Administration research hospital, and the Centers for Disease Control, all centrally located within the region.

The objectives for establishing the regional offices are clearly laid out. They aim to facilitate direct connections between the office and patent applicants, with increased outreach to various groups of innovators; enhance the retention of patent examiners and administrative judges by fostering a diverse work environment; bolster the recruitment efforts for patent examiners; and reduce the backlog of pending patent applications; elevate the overall standard of patent examinations.

Our firm has a robust patent presence in the firm’s Atlanta office, representing clients in patent and trademark preparation and prosecution, portfolio management, and IP litigation. With the addition of the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office Southeast Regional Office in Atlanta, Womble Bond Dickinson can bring world-class patent counseling even closer to home.

Thank you for listening to Womble Perspectives. If you want to learn more about the topics discussed in this episode, please visit The Show Notes, where you can find links to related resources mentioned today. The Show Notes also have more information about our attorneys who provided today's insights, including ways to reach out to them.

Don't forget to subscribe via your podcast player of choice so that you never miss an episode. Thank you again for listening.