Patent and trademark lawyers are subject to special ethics and substantive rules which differ from traditional law practice. This course delves into the unique ethical considerations and challenges faced by patent and trademark lawyers. Led by a registered patent attorney with expertise in ethics matters, this course will navigate attendees through five critical areas of concern in IP practice. The CLE will discuss the USPTO Rules of Professional Conduct, which are rooted in the ABA Model Rules of Professional Conduct and applicable to practice before the USPTO by patent and trademark lawyers.
Learning Objectives:
- Identify Intellectual Property conflicts of interest, including subject matter conflicts and conflicts in Office Actions and searches
- Evaluate best practices for the reasonable inquiry standard required for filing before the USPTO
- List supervision requirements and best practices with working with non-practitioner assistants
- Discern the rules regarding mistakes and when you are required to report mistakes to clients and the USPTO
- Discuss the recent disciplinary focus at the USPTO, including what dangers to stay away from