How does an examiner prepare for an appeal conference?

This page is an FAQ based on guidance from the Manual of Patent Examining Procedure. It is provided as guidance, with links to the ground truth sources. This is information only: it is not legal advice.

An examiner prepares for an appeal conference by thoroughly reviewing the case and all relevant briefs. According to MPEP 2676, “In preparing for the appeal conference, the examiner should review the case so that he/she will be prepared to discuss the issues raised in all the briefs. The examiner should be prepared to propose to the conferees how he/she will address each issue raised in the appellant and respondent briefs.” This preparation ensures that the examiner is ready to discuss all aspects of the case during the conference.