Join the USPTO for the Stakeholder Training on Examination Practice and Procedure (STEPP) virtual international agent-attorney four-day course from May 4 - 7, 9 a.m. to 1:15 p.m. ET daily. It will focus on how examiners review patent applications according to the Manual of Patent Examining Procedure (MPEP).
To attend, you must submit an interest form. You must also meet certain criteria, including being a patent agent or attorney licensed and registered to practice before the USPTO and living outside the United States.
You are expected to complete pre-course homework, including reviewing several computer-based training modules and reading resource materials. Similar to the training of new USPTO examiners, all sessions will focus on a sample patent application.
The STEPP course has four sessions:
- Day 1 focuses on the examiner's role and steps examiners take when reading an application for the first time.
- Day 2 uses information gathered on Day 1 to plan and conduct a search, emphasizing relevant legal statutes.
- Day 3 builds on Day 2 by applying relevant statutes to the mapping of prior art to the sample claims.
- Day 4 finishes discussing the mapping of art to claims and focuses on writing an office action.
Interest forms will be considered until Wednesday, April 29 or until capacity is reached. If your request to participate in STEPP is approved, you will receive an email with instructions on how to complete registration. Continuing legal education (CLE) credit will not be offered.
A detailed course schedule is available. Visit the STEPP webpage or email STEPP@uspto.gov for more information.
Accessibility accommodation
If you are an individual with a disability and would like to request a reasonable accommodation, please submit your request to the contact information listed above.