USPTO Seeking Nominations for the Trademark Public Advisory Committee

Washington, D.C. — The United States Patent and Trademark Office (“USPTO”) is seeking nominations to fill upcoming vacancies for the Trademark Public Advisory Committee (“TPAC”).  Nominations must be postmarked or electronically transmitted on or before September 30, 2013.  Submission details can be found in the Federal Register.

Currently, there are up to three vacancies on the TPAC that need to be filled.  Each committee has nine voting members who are appointed by, and serve at the pleasure of, the Secretary of Commerce.  Each member serves a three-year term.

“The Committee’s input is an essential component to our continuing efforts to support American innovation, support job creation and make U.S. businesses more competitive in the global economy,” said Acting Under Secretary of Commerce for Intellectual Property and Acting Director of the USPTO Teresa Stanek Rea.

Along with the USPTO’s other public advisory committees, TPAC was created to advise the USPTO Director on the management of trademark operations, including goals, performance, budget, and user fees.

For more information contact, John W. Cabeca, Senior Advisor, Office of the Under Secretary of Commerce for Intellectual Property and Director of the USPTO, by electronic mail at TPACnominations@uspto.gov; by facsimile at (571) 273-0464; or by mail via Post Office Box 1450, Alexandria, Virginia, 22313-1450.

Practice Tip: The Public Advisory Committees for the USPTO were created by statute in the American Inventors Protection Act of 1999 to advise the Under Secretary of Commerce for Intellectual Property and Director of the USPTO on the management of the patent and the trademark operations.  The Advisory Committees consist of citizens of the United States chosen to represent the interests of the diverse users of the USPTO.  The Advisory Committees review the policies, goals, performance, budget and user fees of the patent and trademark operations, respectively, and advise the Director on these matters.  Appointments to the Advisory Committee are made by the Secretary of Commerce.