The United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) welcomes Tricia McDermott Thompkins as a new interim member of the Trademark Public Advisory Committee (TPAC). The interim appointment will be effective on October 30, 2020 and run through December 1, 2022. Ms. Thompkins serves as Executive Vice President, General Counsel, and Secretary at Perry Ellis, where she currently manages the company’s global legal operations in over 150 countries.
The Public Advisory Committees for the USPTO were created by statute in the American Inventors Protection Act of 1999 to advise the Under Secretary of Commerce for Intellectual Property and Director of the USPTO on the management of the Patents and Trademarks operations. The Public Advisory Committees consist of citizens of the United States chosen to represent the interests of the diverse users of the USPTO. The Public Advisory Committees review the policies, goals, performance, budget, and user fees of the patent and trademark operations, respectively, and advise the Director on these matters. Appointments to the Public Advisory Committees are made by the Secretary of Commerce.
Ms. Thompkins will be sworn in at the TPAC public session on October 30. View all the TPAC member biographies on the TPAC members page.