USPTO Tweaks PTAB AIA-Trial Counsel Rules; NO Major Overhaul

by Dennis Crouch

The USPTO has issued final rules aimed at expanding opportunities for prac،ioners to appear before the Patent Trial and Appeal Board (PTAB). The rules, which go into effect on November 12, 2024, make several changes to the requirements for counsel in AIA-trial proceedings. However, the final rules do not go as far as some had proposed in allowing non-registered prac،ioners to take lead roles.\xa0 In other words, lead counsel must be a registered patent prac،ioner.