§2.11-§2.19    REPRESENTATION BY ATTORNEYS OR OTHER AUTHORIZED PERSONS

§2.11    Requirement for representation.

  • (a) An applicant, registrant, or party to a proceeding whose domicile is not located within the United States or its territories must be represented by an attorney, as defined in § 11.1 of this chapter, who is qualified to practice under § 11.14 of this chapter. The Office cannot aid in the selection of an attorney.
  • (b) The Office may require an applicant, registrant, or party to a proceeding to furnish such information or declarations as may be reasonably necessary to the proper determination of whether the applicant, registrant, or party is subject to the requirement in paragraph (a) of this section.
  • (c) An applicant, registrant, or party to a proceeding may be required to state whether assistance within the scope of § 11.5(b)(2) of this chapter was received in a trademark matter before the Office and, if so, to disclose the name(s) of the person(s) providing such assistance and whether any compensation was given or charged.
  • (d) Failure to respond to requirements issued pursuant to paragraphs (a) through (c) of this section is governed by § 2.65.
  • (e) Providing false, fictitious, or fraudulent information in connection with the requirements of paragraphs (a) through (c) of this section shall be deemed submitting a paper for an improper purpose, in violation of § 11.18(b) of this chapter, and subject to the sanctions and actions provided in § 11.18(c).
  • (f) Notwithstanding § 2.63(b)(2)(ii), if an Office action maintains only requirements under paragraphs (a), (b), and/or (c) of this section, or only requirements under paragraphs (a), (b), and/or (c) of this section and the requirement for a processing fee under § 2.22(c), the requirements may be reviewed only by filing a petition to the Director under § 2.146.

[50 FR 5171, Feb. 6, 1985; 68 FR 55748, Sept. 26, 2003, effective Nov. 2, 2003; 73 FR 47650, Aug 14. 2008, effective Sept. 15, 2008; 84 FR 31498, July 2, 2019, effective August 3, 2019]

§2.17    Recognition for representation.

  • (a) Authority to practice in trademark cases. Only an individual qualified to practice under § 11.14 of this chapter may represent an applicant, registrant, or party to a proceeding before the Office in a trademark case.
  • (b)
    • (1) Recognition of practitioner as representative. To be recognized as a representative in a trademark case, a practitioner qualified under § 11.14 of this chapter may:
      • (i) File a power of attorney that meets the requirements of paragraph (c) of this section;
      • (ii) Sign a document on behalf of an applicant, registrant, or party to a proceeding who is not already represented by a practitioner qualified under § 11.14 of this chapter from a different firm; or
      • (iii) Appear by being identified as the representative in a document submitted to the Office on behalf of an applicant, registrant, or party to a proceeding who is not already represented by a practitioner qualified under § 11.14 of this chapter from a different firm.
    • (2) Authorization to represent. When a practitioner qualified under § 11.14 of this chapter signs a document or appears pursuant to paragraph (b) of this section, his or her signature or appearance shall constitute a representation to the Office that he or she is authorized to represent the person or entity on whose behalf he or she acts. The Office may require further proof of authority to act in a representative capacity.
    • (3) Bar information required. A practitioner qualified under § 11.14(a) of this chapter will be required to provide the name of a State, as defined in § 11.1 of this chapter, in which he or she is an active member in good standing, the date of admission to the bar of the named State, and the bar license number, if one is issued by the named State. The practitioner may be required to provide evidence that he or she is an active member in good standing of the bar of the specified State.
  • (c) Requirements for power of attorney. A power of attorney must:
    • (1) Designate by name at least one practitioner meeting the requirements of § 11.14 of this chapter; and
    • (2) Be signed by the individual applicant, registrant, or party to a proceeding pending before the Office, or by someone with legal authority to bind the applicant, registrant, or party (e.g., a corporate officer or general partner of a partnership). In the case of joint applicants or joint registrants, all must sign. Once the applicant, registrant, or party has designated a practitioner(s) qualified to practice under § 11.14 of this chapter, that practitioner may sign an associate power of attorney appointing another qualified practitioner(s) as an additional person(s) authorized to represent the applicant, registrant, or party. If the applicant, registrant, or party revokes the original power of attorney (§ 2.19(a)), the revocation discharges any associate power signed by the practitioner whose power has been revoked. If the practitioner who signed an associate power withdraws (§ 2.19(b)), the withdrawal discharges any associate power signed by the withdrawing practitioner upon acceptance of the request for withdrawal by the Office.
  • (d) Power of attorney relating to multiple applications or registrations. The owner of an application or registration may appoint a practitioner(s) qualified to practice under § 11.14 of this chapter to represent the owner for all existing applications or registrations that have the identical owner name.
  • (e) Foreign attorneys and agents. Recognition to practice before the Office in trademark matters is governed by § 11.14(c) of this chapter.
  • (f) Non-lawyers. A non-lawyer may not act as a representative except in the limited circumstances set forth in § 11.14(b) of this chapter. Before any non-lawyer who meets the requirements of § 11.14(b) of this chapter may take action of any kind with respect to an application, registration or proceeding, a written authorization must be filed, signed by the applicant, registrant, or party to the proceeding, or by someone with legal authority to bind the applicant, registrant, or party (e.g ., a corporate officer or general partner of a partnership).
  • (g) Duration of recognition.
    • (1) The Office considers recognition as to a pending application to end when the mark registers, when ownership changes, or when the application is abandoned.
    • (2) The Office considers recognition obtained after registration to end when the mark is cancelled or expired, or when ownership changes. If a practitioner was recognized as the representative in connection with an affidavit under section 8, 12(c), 15, or 71 of the Act, renewal application under section 9 of the Act, or request for amendment or correction under section 7 of the Act, the recognition is deemed to end upon acceptance or final rejection of the filing.

[30 FR 13193, Oct. 16, 1965, as amended at 50 FR 5171, Feb. 6, 1985; 64 FR 48900, Sept. 8, 1999, effective Oct. 30, 1999; 68 FR 55748, Sept. 26, 2003, effective Nov. 2, 2003; 73 FR 47650, Aug 14. 2008, effective Sept. 15, 2008; 74 FR 54898, Oct. 26, 2009, effective Dec. 28, 2009; 80 FR 2303, Jan. 16, 2015, effective Feb. 17, 2015; 84 FR 31498, July 2, 2019, effective August 3, 2019; 84 FR 37081, July 31, 2019, effective Feb. 15, 2020]

§2.18    Correspondence, with whom held.

  • (a) Establishing the correspondent. The Office will send correspondence as follows:
    • (1) If the applicant, registrant, or party to a proceeding is not represented by an attorney qualified to practice before the Office under § 11.14(a) of this chapter, the Office will send correspondence to the applicant, registrant, or party to the proceeding.
    • (2) If an attorney is recognized as a representative pursuant to § 2.17(b)(1), the Office will correspond only with that attorney. A request to change the correspondence address does not revoke a power of attorney. Except for service of a cancellation petition, the Office will not correspond directly with the applicant, registrant, or a party to a proceeding, or with another attorney from a different firm, unless:
      • (i) The applicant or registrant files a revocation of the power of attorney under § 2.19(a) and/or a new power of attorney that meets the requirements of § 2.17(c);
      • (ii) The attorney has been suspended or excluded from practicing in trademark matters before the USPTO; or
      • (iii) Recognition of the attorney has ended pursuant to § 2.17(g).
  • (b) Ex parte matters. Only one correspondence address may be designated in an ex parte matter.
  • (c) Maintaining and changing the correspondence addresses. The applicant, registrant, or party to a proceeding must maintain current and accurate correspondence addresses, as required by § 2.23, for itself and its attorney, if one is designated. If any of these addresses change, a request to change the address, signed in accordance with § 2.193(e)(9), must be promptly filed.
  • (d) Post registration filings under sections 7, 8, 9, 12(c), 15, and 71 of the Act. Even if there is no new power of attorney or written request to change the correspondence address, the Office will change the correspondence address upon the examination of an affidavit under section 8, 12(c), 15, or 71 of the Act, renewal application under section 9 of the Act, or request for amendment or correction under section 7 of the Act, if a new address is provided, in accordance with paragraph (a) of this section.

[41 FR 758, Jan. 5 1976, as amended at 54 FR 37588, Sept. 11, 1989; 67 FR 79520, Dec. 30, 2002; 68 FR 55748, Sept. 26, 2003, effective Nov. 2, 2003; 73 FR 47650, Aug 14. 2008, effective Sept. 15, 2008; 74 FR 54898, Oct. 26, 2009, effective Dec. 28, 2009; 84 FR 37081, July 31, 2019, effective Feb. 15, 2020]

§2.19    Revocation or withdrawal of attorney.

  • (a) Revocation.
    • (1) Authority to represent an applicant, registrant or party to a proceeding before the Office may be revoked at any stage in the proceedings of a trademark case, upon written notification signed by the applicant, registrant, or party to the proceeding, or by someone with legal authority to bind the applicant, registrant, or party (e.g ., a corporate officer or general partner of a partnership). In the case of joint applicants or joint registrants, all must sign.
    • (2) When a power of attorney is revoked, the Office will communicate directly with the applicant, registrant, or party to the proceeding, or with the new attorney or domestic representative if appropriate.
    • (3) A request to change the correspondence address does not revoke a power of attorney.
    • (4) A new power of attorney that meets the requirements of § 2.17(c) will be treated as a revocation of the previous power.
  • (b) Withdrawal of attorney. If the requirements of § 11.116 of this chapter are met, a practitioner authorized to represent an applicant, registrant, or party to a proceeding in a trademark case may withdraw upon application to and approval by the Director or, when applicable, upon motion granted by the Trademark Trial and Appeal Board. The practitioner should file the request to withdraw soon after the practitioner notifies the client of his/her intent to withdraw. The request must include the following:
    • (1) The application serial number, registration number, or proceeding number;
    • (2) A statement of the reason(s) for the request to withdraw; and
    • (3) Either
      • (i) A statement that the practitioner has given notice to the client that the practitioner is withdrawing from employment and will be filing the necessary documents with the Office; that the client was given notice of the withdrawal at least two months before the expiration of the response period, if applicable; that the practitioner has delivered to the client all documents and property in the practitioner’s file concerning the application, registration or proceeding to which the client is entitled; and that the practitioner has notified the client of any responses that may be due, and of the deadline for response; or
      • (ii) If more than one qualified practitioner is of record, a statement that representation by co-counsel is ongoing.

[50 FR 5171, Feb. 6, 1985; 68 FR 14332, March 25, 2003, effective May 1, 2003; 68 FR 55748, Sept. 26, 2003, effective Nov. 2, 2003; 73 FR 47650, Aug 14. 2008, effective Sept. 15, 2008; 74 FR 54898, Oct. 26, 2009, effective Dec. 28, 2009; 80 FR 2303, Jan. 16, 2015, effective Feb. 17, 2015]