PharmaPatents Timely Insight on Emerging Legal Developments

Tag Archives: Ethics

USPTO Proposes Changes To Rules Of Professional Responsibility, Elevates Duty Of Disclosure Over Client Confidentiality

Posted by Courtenay Brinckerhoff on Posted in Duty of Disclosure; Patent Office Practice; USPTO Proposed Rule Changes

In a Federal Register Notice published October 18, 2012, the USPTO announced proposed changes to its rules of professional responsibility that would replace the current rules with rules based on the ABA Model Rules of Professional Conduct, with some modifications. While most of the proposed rules are familiar, a few appear to elevate the duty of disclosure over client confidentiality obligations in ways that may conflict with some state bar rules of professional responsibility. The USPTO will consider written comments received by December 17, 2012.Continue reading this entry