Have you received a final office action from a patent examiner rejecting your patent application? Has someone challenged your patent? Are you considering challenging someone else’s patent? Not sure what to do? The Patent Trial and Appeal Board (PTAB) Education Clinic may be for you.
The PTAB Education Clinic provides education to members of the public who have questions about proceedings at the PTAB, including ex parte appeals of final rejections by examiners and patent challenges by third parties in America Invents Act (AIA) proceedings.
A volunteer will meet with you one-on-one at no cost to answer questions about ex parte appeals and AIA proceedings, such as inter partes reviews (IPRs). Volunteers are experienced patent professionals. To sign up for a one-on-one meeting, see “How to get help” below.
By participating in the PTAB Education Clinic, you will learn more about your options and the type of proceeding you are, or may be, involved with. You will also be able to make more informed decisions about processes and procedures in front of the PTAB. In addition, volunteers can provide information about free services and resources, websites, informative webinars, where to find rules, laws, and online forms, and general information about how things work at the PTAB.
The discussions during these meetings are for educational purposes only. Volunteers will not give legal advice or offer subsequent representation.
How to get help
The PTAB Education Clinic is available on a monthly basis by appointment. Complete our form to request an appointment. Each appointment is 30 minutes. If you have additional questions after your 30-minute appointment, you may request a subsequent appointment.
We schedule appointments based on the availability of volunteers. Requesting an appointment does not guarantee that you will receive a meeting. To maximize your appointment time, see “How to prepare for your appointment” below.
How to prepare for your appointment
In advance of your appointment, you may wish to familiarize yourself with PTAB and our proceedings by reviewing the "New to PTAB?" webpage. This will introduce you to basic aspects of PTAB and how its proceedings work, which can help facilitate discussion at your one-on-one appointment.
You should also review any documents relevant to your proceeding (for example, final office action, AIA petition, or other filings) and identify specific questions that you may have.
Disclaimer
The PTAB Education Clinic provides you with useful information about ex parte appeal and AIA proceedings. The PTAB Education Clinic cannot give any legal advice regarding your patent, patent application, ex parte appeal, or AIA proceeding, nor provide specific line-by-line completion of forms. Relevant patent statutes, regulations, and USPTO guidance should be consulted before attempting to apply for a patent or filing an appeal or AIA proceeding before the PTAB. If you have intellectual property that could be patented or protected, the use of an attorney or agent who is qualified to represent you at the USPTO is advised.