The
United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) published a proposal
to change federal trademark law require foreign-domiciled trademark
applicants, registrants, and parties to Trademark Trial and Appeal Board
proceedings to use an attorney who is licensed to practice law in the
United States.
The
requirement applies to trademark applicants, registrants, and parties
whose permanent legal residence or principal place of business is
outside the United States. The proposed changes would require these
applicants, registrants, and parties to hire an attorney licensed to
practice law in the United States to represent them at the USPTO.
In
addition to the above proposed change, U.S.-licensed attorneys
representing anyone before the USPTO in trademark matters would be
required to confirm they are an active member in good standing of their
bar and provide their bar membership information.
To learn more about the proposal to change federal trademark law or to submit comments about it, visit our page on the USPTO website. We will accept comments from the public until March 18, 2019.