The Manual of Patent Examining Procedure (“MPEP”) is the examination manual used internally at the United States Patent & Trademark Office (“USPTO”) to guide examiners in the process of examining patent applications. In practice, patent applicants frequently rely on the
While obtaining a design patent is often quicker than obtaining a utility patent, current design patent application pendency is often still a lengthy period of time. Based on data released by the USPTO in July 2024 and shown below, over
As commerce moves more and more online, companies are facing unique challenges with respect to protecting their products, and the low cost of entry for online sellers has contributed to proliferations of knock-off and potentially counterfeit products being sold. This
In the world of furniture design, aesthetics often play as crucial a role as functionality since the unique appearance of a furniture piece can set it apart in a competitive marketplace and help establish a brand’s identity. Fortunately, design patents
As outlined in our previous post, partial design claiming in China continues to be a moving target, as variations in the interpretation of partial design claims persist among Chinese examiners. As of this writing, the Chinese National Intellectual Property
Without stable housing, recovery for substance use disorder is nearly impossible. “Recovery housing” (or more commonly referred to as a “sober home” or a “sober living residence”) is a broad term that describes a safe, supportive, and substance-free living environment,
Employers must check its employees, contractors and vendors to see if an individual or organization is excluded from participating in federal and/or state programs. While there are a variety of exclusion programs at the federal and state level affecting individuals,
Employers must check its employees, contractors and vendors to see if an individual or organization is excluded from participating in federal and/or state programs. While there are a variety of exclusion programs at the federal and state level affecting individuals,
Upending decades of continuity in the world of design patents, the United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit (“CAFC”), sitting en banc in LKQ Corporation v. GM Global Technology Operations LLC, overturned the Rosen/Durling standard for obviousness
On April 11, 2024, a jury convicted Northern Kentucky Center for Pain Clinic owner Dr. Timothy Ehn (who was not a medical doctor) and medical director, Dr. William Lawrence Seifert, for their roles in a scheme that defrauded Medicare, Medicaid