The USPTO has confirmed that Arti Rai is leaving her role as administrator for external affairs to return to her teaching position at Duke University
Rai was appointed as administrator for external affairs by USPTO director David Kappos in October last year. Prior to that, the position had remained unfilled for about seven years.
The Office has advertised for Rai's replacement on USAJOBS, the federal government's official job site.
Rai served as Elvin R Latty professor of law at Duke University School of Law prior to joining the USPTO.
Before entering academia, she clerked for the Honourable Marilyn Hall of the US District Court for the Northern District of California, served as a litigation associate at Jenner & Block and was a litigator at the Federal Programs Branch at the US Department of Justice's civil division.