Professionalism, Privilege and Duty of Candor before the USPTO

Washington, D.C., partner Mercedes Meyer co-presented as a panelist at the AIPLA Ethics Webinar, “Professionalism, Privilege and Duty of Candor before the USPTO,” on Wednesday, March 18. She was joined by Will Covey, Director of the Office of Enrollment & Discipline at the USPTO, Hon. Thomas Giannett (USPTO Administrative Patent Judge), and William Smith of BakerHostetler and former Administrative Patent Judge. Professionalism before the USPTO raises a variety of different issues from ethical, to criminal, as well as the common sense simple of do not curse members of the Office.  Over 350 members attended the seminar. Topics addressed included:

1. Ex parte communications 
2. How to approach the bench or the examiner 
3. Conflicts of interest, how they arise and how to handle them in a professional manner
4. Duty of candor to the USPTO and fixing your mistakes
5. Keeping current, and Fraud