§11.17 Requirements for participation in the USPTO Law School Clinic Certification Program.
- (a) Each law school participating in the USPTO Law School Clinic Certification Program must provide its patent and/or trademark services on a pro bono basis.
- (b) Each law school participating in the USPTO Law School Clinic Certification Program shall, on a semi-annual basis, provide OED with a report regarding its clinic activity during the reporting period, which shall include:
- (1) The number of law students participating in each of the patent and trademark practice areas of the school's clinic;
- (2) The number of faculty participating in each of the patent and trademark practice areas of the school's clinic;
- (3) The number of persons to whom the school's clinic provided assistance in any given patent or trademark matter but with whom no practitioner-client relationship had formed;
- (4) The number of client representations undertaken for each of the patent and trademark practice areas of the school's clinic;
- (5) The identity and number of applications and responses filed in each of the patent and/or trademark practice areas of the school's clinic;
- (6) The number of patents issued, or trademarks registered, to clients of the clinic; and
- (7) All other information specified by the OED Director.
- (c) Inactivation of law schools participating in the USPTO Law School Certification Program.
- (1) The OED Director may inactivate a patent and/or trademark practice area of a participating law school:
- (i) If the participating law school does not have an approved Faculty Clinic Supervisor for the relevant practice area, as described in § 11.16(c);
- (ii) If the participating law school does not meet each of the requirements and criteria for participation in the USPTO Law School Clinic Certification Program as set forth in § 11.16, this section, or as otherwise established by the OED Director; or
- (iii) For other good cause as determined by the OED Director.
- (2) In the event that a practice area of a participating school is inactivated, the participating law school students must:
- (i) Immediately cease all student practice before the Office in the relevant practice area and notify each client of such; and
- (ii) Disassociate themselves from all client matters relating to practice before the Office in the relevant practice area, including complying with Office and State rules for withdrawal from representation.
- (3) A patent or trademark practice area of a law school clinic that has been inactivated may be restored to active status, upon application to and approval by the OED Director.
- (1) The OED Director may inactivate a patent and/or trademark practice area of a participating law school:
- (d) Removal of law schools participating in the USPTO Law School Clinic Certification Program.
- (1) The OED Director may remove a patent and/or trademark practice area of the clinic of a law school participating in the USPTO Law School Clinic Certification Program:
- (i) Upon request from the law school;
- (ii) If the participating law school does not meet each of the requirements and criteria for participation in the USPTO Law School Clinic Certification Program as set forth in § 11.16, this section, or as otherwise established by the OED Director; or
- (iii) For other good cause as determined by the OED Director.
- (2) In the event that a practice area of a participating school is removed by the OED Director, the participating law school students must:
- (i) Immediately cease all student practice before the Office in the relevant practice area and notify each client of such; and
- (ii) Disassociate themselves from all client matters relating to practice before the Office in the relevant practice area, including complying with Office and State rules for withdrawal from representation.
- (3) A school that has been removed from participation in the USPTO Law School Clinic Certification Program under this section may reapply to the program in compliance with § 11.16.
[Added 81 FR 33591, May 27, 2016, effective June 27, 2016]
- (1) The OED Director may remove a patent and/or trademark practice area of the clinic of a law school participating in the USPTO Law School Clinic Certification Program: