1705.01 Standing
A person must have standing to file a petition to the Director under 37 C.F.R §2.146. See Ex parte Lasek, 115 USPQ 145 (Comm’r Pats. 1957).
There is no provision in the Trademark Act or Rules of Practice for intercession by a third party in an ex parte matter. Accordingly, petitions by third parties to review actions taken in ex parte matters will generally be dismissed for a lack of standing.
See TMEP §1715 regarding letters of protest filed by third parties to bring to the attention of the USPTO evidence bearing on the registrability of a mark in pending applications.