By Cyber Era Reporter
The United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) is expanding its Law School Clinic Certification Programme by admitting additional schools into the programme. Founded in 2008, the programme currently includes 59 law school clinics and offers patent and trademark applicants access to pro bono services. It also gives law students, who are strictly supervised by a faculty clinic supervisor, experience in practicing intellectual property law before the USPTO.
The programme is administered by the USPTO’s Office of Enrollment and Discipline (OED). OED is responsible for registering attorneys and agents to practice before the USPTO and for developing and administering the registration examination. Participating clinics must maintain the requirements for USPTO certification in order for students to practice before the agency.
Submissions from interested law school clinical programs will be accepted on a rolling basis through May 31, 2021. Details of the programme expansion and application materials are available on the Law School Clinic Certification Programme page of the USPTO website.
