Interview Practice
The following is a collection of policies, procedures, training, and guidance on effective interview practice.
The USPTO encourages examiners to take a proactive approach to examination by reaching out and engaging our stakeholders in an effort to resolve issues and shorten prosecution. The training and guidance below emphasize interviews as a tool that can create an open dialog with Applicants and enhance the quality and efficiency of examination.
- Director's Forum: Blogs from USPTO's Leadership
- Interviews and Patent Quality Jan 15, 2013
- Interview Program Continues to Find Success Jun 28, 2011
- Interview Training: The documents below summarize interview practice training disseminated to the patent corps
- Effective Interview Practice (2012) [PDF] - Effective Interview Practice discusses the use of an agenda, preparing for the interview, properly recording the interview to clarify the record, and steps that can be taken to properly follow through after the interview.
- Interview Best Practices (2011) [PDF]- The collaborative effort between AIPLA and the USPTO identifies interview best practices that can be followed by examiners and practitioners. Interview Best Practices identifies accessibility, preparation, substance, and recordation as useful tools and techniques for effective interview practice.
- Interview Practice Training Summary (2009) [PDF] - Effective Interview Practice addresses why interviews are an important examination tool, identifies a number of key components needed to conduct an effective interview and discusses some frequently asked questions.
- Relevant Manual of Patent Examining Procedure (MPEP) Sections
- Other Information
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