“Trouble at the USPTO” - Part I & Part II

Thomas Moga was quoted in Part I and Part II of the World IP Review article, “Trouble at the USPTO.” The articles examine growing concerns about instability and uncertainty at the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO), focusing on leadership challenges, policy shifts, and operational disruptions that are creating anxiety among stakeholders in the patent system. They highlight how changes in governance, including vacancies and evolving administrative priorities, risk slowing patent examination, reducing predictability, and undermining confidence in the system at a time when innovation and IP protection are increasingly critical.

Moga emphasizes that these issues could have significant downstream effects on businesses and innovators who rely on a stable and efficient patent system, noting that uncertainty in USPTO leadership and direction can complicate strategic decision-making and IP planning. He underscores the need for consistency, clear policy guidance, and adequate resourcing to maintain the integrity and effectiveness of the patent system, warning that without these, both domestic innovation and the U.S.’s global competitiveness in intellectual property could be at risk.