What advice does the USPTO give to pro se design patent applicants?

The USPTO provides specific advice to pro se design patent applicants to help them navigate the patent process. According to MPEP 1504:

“With respect to pro se design applications, the examiner should notify applicant in the first Office action that it may be desirable for applicant to employ the services of a registered patent attorney or agent to prosecute the application.”

Additionally, if the application shows potential, the examiner may recommend hiring a professional patent draftsperson. The USPTO uses form paragraph 15.66 to convey this advice:

“As the value of a design patent is largely dependent upon the skillful preparation of the drawings and specification, applicant might consider it desirable to employ the services of a registered patent attorney or agent.”

While the USPTO cannot recommend specific professionals, they provide resources for finding registered patent attorneys, agents, and draftspersons.

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Tags: design patents, patent agents, patent attorneys, patent draftspersons, pro se applicants