Monthly Minute | Design Patents
Under the United States Patent and Trademark Office’s (USPTO) modernization efforts, the time between paying the issue fee and issuance of the patent is being reduced. Faster patent issuance gives patent applicants less time...more
On April 15, 2025, the United States Patent and Trademark Office (“USPTO”) informed the public that, effective May 13, 2025, the USPTO will be accelerating the process for issuing patents. Currently, the time between Issue...more
On 19 January 2025 the USPTO enacted a new Information Disclosure Statement (IDS) size fee. A new IDS size fee, codified under 37 C.F.R. 1.17(v), is accrued for any pending application when the number of cumulative references...more
It’s hard to keep up with all the recent changes to labor and employment law. While the law always seems to evolve at a rapid pace, there have been an unprecedented number of changes for the past few years — and this past...more
The Hart-Scott-Rodino Act (“HSR”) requires that transactions over a certain value be reported to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and U.S. Department of Justice Antitrust Division at least 30 days prior to closing. That...more
Each January, the Federal Trade Commission announces the new thresholds for pre-merger notifications under the HSR Act, which are updated each year based on changes in the gross national product. This year’s revised...more
USPTO Director Andrei Iancu and Deputy Director Laura Peter resigned from their respective posts prior to inauguration day. Commissioner for Patents Drew Hirschfeld and Senior Counsel Coke Morgan Stewart are temporarily...more
The Puerto Rico Department of the Treasury (the “PR Treasury”) issued Tax Policy Circular Letter No. 16-08 on December 23, 2016 (“CL 16-08”). CL 16-08 establishes new rules regarding the validity of retirement plan...more