USPTO to expand Law School Clinic Certification Program

The United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) is expanding its Law School Clinic Certification Program by admitting additional schools into the program. Founded in 2008, the program currently includes 59 law school clinics and offers patent and trademark applicants access to pro bono services. It also gives law students, who are strictly supervised by a faculty clinic supervisor, experience in practicing intellectual property law before the USPTO.

The program is administered by the USPTO’s Office of Enrollment and Discipline (OED). OED is responsible for registering attorneys and agents to practice before the USPTO and for developing and administering the registration examination. Participating clinics must maintain the requirements for USPTO certification in order for students to practice before the agency.

Submissions from interested law school clinical programs will be accepted on a rolling basis through May 31, 2021. Details of the program expansion and application materials are available on the Law School Clinic Certification Program page of the USPTO website.

For additional information and application submission guidelines, please contact the Office of Enrollment and Discipline by telephone at (571) 272‐4097 or lawschoolinformation@uspto.gov.