604.03    Duration of Recognition

37 C.F.R. §2.17(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, recognition is deemed to end upon acceptance or final rejection of the filing.

Pending Applications. For purposes of recognition as a representative, the USPTO considers recognition as a qualified U.S. attorney in a pending application to end when the mark is registered, when ownership changes, or when the application is abandoned.  37 C.F.R. §2.17(g)(1).

Post Registration. For purposes of recognition as a representative by the Post Registration Section of the Office, the USPTO considers recognition established in connection with an affidavit under 15 U.S.C. §1058, §1062(c), §1065, or §1141k  (affidavit under §8, §12(c), §15, or §71), a renewal application under 15 U.S.C. §1059  (§9 renewal application), or a request for amendment or correction under 15 U.S.C. §1057  (§7 request) to end upon acceptance or final rejection of the filing.  37 C.F.R. §2.17(g)(2).  

Due to the length of time that may elapse between the filing of these documents (which could be 10 years or more), the USPTO will recognize a qualified U.S. attorney who signs or is identified as the registrant's attorney in one of these documents even absent a new power of attorney and/or revocation of a previous power.

Example 1:  A qualified U.S. attorney (Attorney A) signs or is identified as the registrant’s attorney in an affidavit under §8, and the USPTO issues an Office action in connection with the affidavit.  If another qualified U.S. attorney from a different firm (Attorney B) wants to respond to the Office action, Attorney B must file a new power of attorney and/or revocation of the previous power, signed by the registrant or someone with legal authority to bind the registrant (e.g., a corporate officer or general partner of a partnership), before the USPTO will act on the response or correspond with Attorney B.

Example 2:  A qualified U.S. attorney (Attorney A) signs or is identified as the registrant’s attorney in an affidavit under §8, and the USPTO accepts the affidavit.  If another qualified U.S. attorney from a different firm (Attorney B) later files a §7 request, the USPTO will recognize and correspond with Attorney B regardless of whether a new power of attorney and/or revocation of the previous power is filed.

Example 3:  A qualified U.S. attorney (Attorney A) signs or is identified as the registrant’s attorney in an affidavit under §8, and the USPTO issues an Office action in connection with the affidavit.  If another qualified U.S. attorney from a different firm (Attorney B) wants to file a §7 request before the USPTO accepts or issues a final rejection of the §8 affidavit, Attorney B must file a new power of attorney and/or revocation of the previous power, signed by the registrant or someone with legal authority to bind the registrant (e.g., a corporate officer or general partner of a partnership), before the USPTO will act on the §7 request or correspond with Attorney B.

The USPTO also considers recognition of a qualified U.S. attorney to end when the registration is cancelled or expired, or when ownership changes.  37 C.F.R. §2.17(g)(2). See TMEP §605.04 regarding powers of attorney filed after registration.

Change of Ownership. For purposes of recognition as a representative, the USPTO considers recognition of an attorney in connection with an application or registration to end when ownership changes.  37 C.F.R. §2.17(g).  After a change in ownership has been recorded, if a new qualified U.S. attorney appears or signs a document on behalf of the new owner, the USPTO will communicate and conduct business with that attorney even absent a new power of attorney and/or revocation of the previous power. 37 C.F.R. §2.17(b)(1)(ii) -(iii). If the previously recognized U.S. attorney appears on behalf of the new owner (which might occur when the new owner is a related company), the USPTO will continue to conduct business and correspond with that attorney.  The previously recognized U.S. attorney does not have to file a new power of attorney and/or revocation of the previous power signed by the new owner.  See TMEP §609.02(f) regarding correspondence after recordation of a change of ownership.

Effect on Attorney and Correspondence Information in USPTO Records. In the situations discussed above, when the USPTO deems recognition of a representative has ended, the USPTO will not automatically change the attorney and correspondence address in the Trademark database, because it is possible that the previously recognized U.S. attorney still represents the applicant or registrant and wants to continue receiving correspondence.  The USPTO will continue to recognize the previously recognized U.S. attorney if he or she appears or signs a document on behalf of the applicant or registrant. 37 C.F.R. §2.17(b)(1)(ii)-(iii). However, if a new qualified U.S. attorney appears or signs a document, the USPTO will recognize the new attorney pursuant to 37 C.F.R. §2.17(b)(1)(ii)-(iii), and correspond with him or her without requiring a new power of attorney and/or revocation of the previous power.  See TMEP §§609.02–609.02(f) regarding changes of correspondence address.

Board Proceedings. See TBMP §§114–114.08 regarding representation of parties to Board proceedings, and TBMP §§117–117.02 regarding correspondence in Board proceedings.