What is the impact of attorney withdrawal on maintenance fee payments?
The withdrawal of an attorney can impact maintenance fee payments in the following ways: The responsibility for payment shifts to the patent owner if no new attorney is appointed. The USPTO will send maintenance fee reminders to the correspondence address on record. If the address changes due to withdrawal, the patent owner must update it…
Read MoreWhat happens if an attorney dies or becomes legally incapacitated during patent proceedings?
If an attorney dies or becomes legally incapacitated during patent proceedings, the following occurs: The power of attorney is automatically terminated The Office may require proof of incapacity The applicant must appoint a new attorney or act pro se MPEP 2560 states, “The power of attorney of a deceased attorney is terminated when the Office…
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