Manual of Patent Examining Procedure - MPEP

Table of Contents


Previous section

§ 11.11 Notification. - PATENT RULES

§ 11.11 Notification.

A registered attorney or agent must notify the OED Director of his or her postal address for his or her office, up to three e-mail addresses where he or she receives e-mail, and business telephone number, as well as every change to any of said addresses, or telephone numbers within thirty days of the date of the change. A registered attorney or agent shall, in addition to any notice of change of address and telephone number filed in individual patent applications, separately file written notice of the change of address or telephone number to the OED Director. A registered practitioner who is an attorney in good standing with the bar of the highest court of one or more States shall provide the OED Director with the State bar identification number associated with each membership. The OED Director shall publish from the roster a list containing the name, postal business addresses, business telephone number, registration number, and registration status as an attorney or agent of each registered practitioner recognized to practice before the Office in patent cases.

[Added, 69 FR 35427, June 24, 2004, effective July 26, 2004]

RULES RELATING TO REPRESENTATION OF OTHERS BEFORE THE UNITED STATES PATENT AND TRADEMARK OFFICE

A

Address change ... 10.11, 11.11

Advertising ... 10.31, 10.32

Agents, registration of ... 11.6

Agreements restricting practice ... 10.38

Aliens ... 11.6, 11.9

Applicant for patent, representation of ... 1.31, 11.10

Attorneys, recognition of to practice in trademark cases ... 10.14

Attorneys, registration of to practice in patent cases ... 11.6, 11.7

B

Breach of trust ... 10.23

Business transactions or relations with client ... 10.65

C

Candidate for judicial office ... 10.103

Canons and disciplinary rules ... 10.20 - 10.112

Certificate of mailing ... 1.8, 10.23, 10.141

Certification effect of signature ... 10.18

Circumventing a disciplinary rule, amendment ... 10.23

Code of Professional Responsibility ... 10.20 - 10.112

Coercion, Use of ... 10.23

Committee on Discipline ... 10.4

Communicating with person having adverse interest ... 10.67

Communications concerning practitioner's service ... 10.31

Compensation for legal services ... 10.68

Competence ... 10.76, 10.77

Complaint instituting disciplinary proceedings ... 10.134

Concealment of material information ... 10.23

Conduct in proceeding before Office ... 10.89

Conduct prejudicial to the administration of justice ... 10.23

Conflict of interest ... 10.66

Conviction of criminal offense ... 10.23

D

Deceit ... 10.23

Decisions of the Commissioner ... 10.156, 10.157

Definitions:

Affidavit ... 10.1

Agent ... 11.6

Application ... 10.1

Canon ... 10.20

Confidence ... 10.57

Differing interests ... 10.1

Director of Enrollment and Discipline ... 10.1

Disciplinary rule ... 10.20

Excessive legal fees ... 10.36

Excluded practitioner ... 10.1

Giving information ... 10.1

Invention development services ... 10.23

Law firm ... 10.1

Lawyer ... 10.1

Legal counsel ... 10.1

Legal profession ... 10.1

Legal service ... 10.1

Legal system ... 10.1

Non-practitioner ... 10.1

Office ... 10.1

Person ... 10.1

Practitioner ... 10.1

Proceeding before the Office ... 10.1

Professional legal corporation ... 10.1

Registration ... 10.1

Respondent ... 10.134

Secret ... 10.33, 10.57

State ... 10.1

Suspended practitioner ... 10.1

Tribunal ... 10.1

United States ... 10.1

Designation as registered attorney or agent ... 10.34

Direct contact with prospective clients ... 10.33

Director of Enrollment and Discipline:

Appointment ... 11.2

Duties ... 11.2

Review of decisions of OED Director ... 11.2

Disbarment from practice on ethical grounds ... 10.130

Discharge of attorney or agent by client ... 10.40

Disciplinary proceedings and investigations:

Administrative Law Judge ... 10.139

Administrative Procedures Act ... 10.132, 10.144

Review of interlocutory orders by Administrative Law Judge ... 10.139

Amendment of complaint ... 10.145

Amendment of pleadings ... 10.145

Answer to complaint ... 10.136

Appeal of initial decision of Administrative Law Judge ... 10.155

Burden of proof ... 10.149

Certificate of mailing ... 1.8, 10.141

Complaint ... 10.134

Contested case ... 10.138

Deliberations of Committee on Discipline ... 10.4

Discovery (see also Discovery in Disciplinary Proceedings) ... 10.152

Exception to ruling ... 10.150

Filing papers after complaint filed ... 10.141

Hearings before Administrative Law Judge ... 10.144

Initial decision of Administrative Law Judge ... 10.139, 10.154

Initiating disciplinary proceeding ... 10.132

Investigations of violations of disciplinary rules ... 10.131

Notice of suspension or exclusion of practitioner ... 10.159

Objections to evidence ... 10.150

Post hearing memorandum ... 10.153

Pre-hearing statement ... 10.153

Reinstatement of suspended or excluded practitioner ... 10.160

Reprimand of registered attorney or agent ... 10.130, 10.132

Resignation of practitioner ... 10.133

Review of Commissioner's final decision ... 10.157

Review of decision denying reinstatement of practitioner ... 11.2

Savings clause ... 10.161

Service of complaint ... 10.135

Settlement of complaint ... 10.133

Stay pending review of interlocutory order ... 10.139

Supplemental complaint ... 10.137

Disciplinary rule violation

Disclosure of ... 10.23, 10.24, 10.84, 10.85, 10.131

Discourteous conduct ... 10.89

Discovery in disciplinary proceedings:

Copying of documents ... 10.152

Cross-examination ... 10.152

Deliberations of committee on discipline ... 10.4

Depositions ... 10.151

Evidence ... 10.150, 10.152

Impeachment ... 10.152

Inspection of documents ... 10.152

Interrogatories ... 10.152

Motions filed with Administrative Law Judge ... 10.143, 10.152

Privileged information ... 10.152

Undue delay in proceedings ... 10.152

Division of legal fees ... 10.37

Duress, use of ... 10.23

Duty to make counsel available ... 10.30

E

Employment:

Acceptance ... 10.39

Failure to carry out contract ... 10.84

Refusing employment ... 10.62, 10.63, 10.66

Withdrawal from employment ... 10.40, 10.63, 10.66

Exception to ruling ... 10.151

Excessive legal fees ... 10.36

Exclusion of practitioner ... 10.130, 10.132, 10.158

F

Failure to disclose material fact with regard to registration ... 10.22

Failure to notify client ... 10.23

False accusations ... 10.23

False statements concerning officials ... 10.102

Favors, improperly bestowing ... 10.23

Fees:

Petition to review decision of Director of Enrollment and Discipline ... 11.2

Registration ... 11.8

Registration examination ... 11.7

Reinstatement ... 10.11

Fees for legal services ... 10.36

Firm name, use of ... 10.35

Fitness to practice before the Office ... 10.23

Foreigners ... 10.14, 11.6, 11.9

Former Patent and Trademark Office employees ... 10.23, 11.7, 11.10

Fraud or inequitable conduct ... 10.23, 10.85

Frivolous complaint ... 10.23

Funds of client, preserving identity of ... 10.112

G

Gift, improperly bestowing ... 10.23

Government employees, registration of to practice in patent cases ... 11.10

I

Illegal conduct involving moral turpitude ... 10.23

Illegal fees for services ... 10.36

Improper alteration of patent application ... 10.23

Improper execution of oath or declaration ... 10.23

Improper influence ... 10.23

Improper signature ... 10.18, 10.23

Improperly bestowing thing of value ... 10.23

Incompetence ... 10.77, 10.78

Indecent statement, making of. ... 10.23

Independent professional judgment, exercise of ... 10.61, 10.62, 10.66, 10.68

Individual unqualified in respect to character, education, etc. ... 10.22, 11.7

Influence by others than client ... 10.68

Information precluding registration, failure to disclose ... 10.22

Initial decision of Administrative Law Judge ... 10.139, 10.154

Integrity and competence of the legal profession, maintaining of ... 10.22

Interest in litigation or proceeding before Office, acquiring of ... 10.64

Investigation of violations of disciplinary rules ... 10.131

J

Joint venture ... 10.23

Judicial office, candidate for ... 10.103

L

Legal fees:

Division of ... 10.37

Failure to pay ... 10.40

Sharing of ... 10.48

Legal system, assistance in improving the ... 10.100

Letterheads, use of ... 10.35

Limited recognition to practice in patent matters ... 11.9

M

Malpractice, limiting client's liability ... 10.78

Materially false statements in application for registration ... 10.22

Misappropriation of funds ... 10.23

Misconduct ... 10.23

Misrepresentations ... 10.22, 10.23

Multiple employment ... 10.66

N

Neglecting legal matters ... 10.77

Non-practitioner, formation of partnership with ... 10.49

Notice of suspension or exclusion ... 10.159

O

Oath requirement ... 11.8

Officials, contact with ... 10.93

P

Petitions:

Reinstatement ... 10.160

Review decision of Commissioner ... 10.157

Review decision of Director of Enrollment and Discipline ... 11.2

Suspension of rules ... 10.170

Preserve secrets and confidence of client ... 10.56, 10.57

Professional impropriety, avoiding appearance of ... 10.110, 10.111

Promise of advantage, offer of ... 10.23

Property of client ... 10.112

Proprietary interest in subject matter ... 10.64

Publication in Official Gazette ... 10.11, 10.159, 10.160

R

Recognition to practice before the Patent and Trademark Office:

Agents ... 10.14, 11.5, 11.6, 11.7

Aliens ... 10.14, 11.5, 11.6, 11.7

Attorneys ... 10.14, 11.5, 11.6, 11.7

Change of address, requirement to notify Director ... 10.11, 11.11

Examination for registration in patent cases ... 11.7

Examination fees ... 1.21, 11.7

Foreigners ... 10.14, 11.6, 11.9

Former Patent and Trademark Office employees ... 10.23, 11.7, 11.10

Government employees ... 10.23, 11.10

Limited recognition in patent cases ... 11.9

Non-lawyers, recognition in trademark cases ... 10.14

Recognition for representation ... 1.34, 10.14

Refusal to recognize practitioner ... 10.15

Register of attorneys and agents in patent cases ... 10.5

Registration fee ... 1.21

Registration number ... 1.34

Removal of attorneys and agents from the register ... 10.11

Representation by registered attorney or agent in patent cases ... 1.31

Requirements for registration ... 11.7

Review of Director's decision refusing registration ... 11.2

Trademark cases ... 10.14

Unauthorized representation by an agent ... 10.31, 11.10

Records, property and funds of client, maintaining of ... 10.112

Reinstatement after removal from the register ... 10.11

Reinstatement of suspended or excluded non-practitioner ... 10.160

Representing client within bounds of the law ... 10.85

Reprimand of registered attorney or agent ... 10.130, 10.132

Resignation ... 10.133

S

Scandalous statements, making of ... 10.23

Secrets and confidence, preservation of clients ... 10.56, ... 10.57

Settlement of claims of clients ... 10.67

Sharing legal fees ... 10.48

Signature and certificate of practitioner ... 10.18

Solicitation ... 10.32, 10.33

Statement concerning officials, making false ... 10.102

Suspension of practitioner ... 10.23, 10.130, 10.132, 10.158

Suspension of rules ... 10.170

T

Threats of criminal prosecution ... 10.88

Threats, use of ... 10.23

U

Unauthorized practice ... 10.14, 10.23, 10.31, 10.46, 10.47

Undignified conduct ... 10.89

V

Violating duty of candor and good faith ... 10.23

Violation of disciplinary rule, misconduct ... 10.23

W

Withdrawal from employment ... 10.40

Withdrawal material information ... 10.22, 10.23

Witnesses ... 10.63, 10.92

Z

Zealously representing the client ... 10.83, 10.84

[Reserved]

[Part 15 removed and reserved, 61 FR 42807, Aug. 19, 1996]

[Reserved]

[Part 15a removed and reserved, 61 FR 42807, Aug. 19, 1996]

PART 41 - PRACTICE BEFORE THE BOARD OF PATENT APPEALS AND INTERFERENCES

SUBPART A  -  General Provisions

Next section