Foreign patent applicants must now hire a US lawyer
What happened
The US Patent and Trademark Office wants to require foreign applicants to hire a US-registered patent lawyer. This change would make it easier for the US to enforce its patent rules and fight fraud.
Why it matters
For years, foreign entities could file patent applications in the US without local representation, making it difficult for the US Patent Office to pursue cases of misrepresentation or fraud. This new rule means the US can now hold foreign applicants to the same standards as domestic ones. It also brings the US in line with most other countries, which already require local representation for foreign patent filers.
The signal
Watch for a decrease in the number of patent applications from countries with a history of patent fraud, or an increase in successful enforcement actions by the US Patent Office.