In just over two weeks, the first satellite office of the USPTO will open in Detroit, Michigan, with 25 examiners scheduled to start work on Monday, July 16 – but what does that mean to patent owners and practitioners? Managing IP answers some key questions.
How many examiners will be located in Detroit?
The USPTO has hired 100 examiners for the new office, who will begin working in groups of 25. The first group will start on July 16, with the next 25 starting two months later, and so on.
What are their credentials?
All of the examiners in Detroit have IP experience. Some are former examiners, while others have been practising in law firms. All have at least one year of patent prosecution experience. “It’s a total paradigm shift for us to be able to start this effort with employees who have intimate knowledge of the Office,” USPTO commissioner...