Before the USPTO was subject to a hiring freeze, it assumed it would onboard 400 new examiners between fiscal year 2025 and fiscal year 2026, and still predicted an increase in the backlog of unexamined patent applications....more
In a highly anticipated decision in Allergan v. MSN Labs., the Federal Circuit held yesterday that claims in a first-filed, first-issued, later-expiring patent cannot be invalidated for double patenting by claims in a...more
A recent case in the Western District of Oklahoma shines a spotlight on the patent danger posed by errors in a terminal disclaimer. In this case, a typographical error in the filed terminal disclaimer rendered an ensuing...more
On May 10, 2024, the US Patent & Trademark Office (PTO) issued a notice of proposed rulemaking (Notice) concerning major changes to the terminal disclaimer (TD) practice, which may lead to a sea change in patent prosecution...more
Though there are many similarities between U.S. and Canadian patent law, the following significant differences can affect the key decision of whether to file in Canada. 1. Grace period time limit - Sections 28.2 and...more