Requiring Identity Verification for Attorney-Sponsored Accounts, 60667-60668 [2023-19000]

Download as PDF Federal Register / Vol. 88, No. 170 / Tuesday, September 5, 2023 / Notices notified of the Council’s intent to takeaction to address the emergency. Special Accommodations The meeting is physically accessible to people with disabilities. Requests for sign language interpretation or other auxiliary aid should be directed to Kathy Pereira, (813) 348–1630, at least 5 days prior to the meeting date. Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq. Dated: August 29, 2023. Rey Israel Marquez, Acting Deputy Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries Service. [FR Doc. 2023–19002 Filed 9–1–23; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 3510–22–P DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE Patent and Trademark Office [Docket No. PTO–T–2023–0037] Requiring Identity Verification for Attorney-Sponsored Accounts United States Patent and Trademark Office, U.S. Department of Commerce. ACTION: Notice. AGENCY: The United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) announces that beginning on January 20, 2024, all existing and new attorney support staff with an attorney-sponsored USPTO.gov account will be required to verify their identity to access trademark filing systems. The USPTO is making this change after discovering that some U.S.licensed attorneys have sponsored accounts for individuals who are not directly supervised attorney support staff, and that many of these sponsored accounts appear to be shared by multiple foreign agents and attorneys. These actions violate the Trademark Verified USPTO.gov Account Agreement (Agreement). FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Robert Lavache, Office of the Deputy Commissioner for Trademark Examination Policy, USPTO, at 571– 272–5881. You can also send inquiries to TMFRNotices@uspto.gov. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: In late 2019, as part of the USPTO’s continuing efforts to protect the integrity of the U.S. trademark register, and to better protect its customers from scams and other fraudulent activities related to the trademark register, the USPTO began requiring customers to create a USPTO.gov account to access and submit electronic trademark forms. This enabled the USPTO to monitor trademark filing behavior and aided in ddrumheller on DSK120RN23PROD with NOTICES1 SUMMARY: VerDate Sep<11>2014 18:02 Sep 01, 2023 Jkt 259001 enforcing the USPTO Trademark Rules of Practice regarding submissions in trademark matters. On August 6, 2022, the USPTO began requiring existing and new account holders who occupy one of the appropriate user roles, including owner, U.S.-licensed attorney, Canadian attorney, or Canadian agent, to verify their identity. See Trademarks USPTO.gov Account ID Verification Program (87 FR 41114). The USPTO also offered a user role for sponsored attorney support staff to establish USPTO.gov accounts when sponsored by a supervising U.S.-licensed (or a reciprocally recognized Canadian) attorney, and at the time did not require identity verification for sponsored support staff accounts. See 87 FR 41114. Since establishing the sponsored staff user roles, the USPTO has discovered that some U.S.-licensed attorneys have sponsored accounts for individuals who are not directly supervised attorney support staff, which violates the Agreement that applies to all USPTO.gov account holders. Many of these sponsored accounts appear to be used by multiple foreign agents and attorneys who file thousands of trademark applications involving violations of the USPTO’s Trademark Rules of Practice, including the rules on signatures and certifications. Because the sponsored account user role has been subject to abuse that has undermined the integrity of the trademark register and such abuse can be significantly curtailed by requiring identity verification of sponsored account holders, the USPTO will now require all existing and new attorney support staff who are USPTO.gov account holders to verify their identity. On October 14, 2023, the USPTO will make identity verification available to attorney support staff account holders. It will become mandatory for such account holders on January 20, 2024. Requiring identity verification of sponsored accounts will help enforce the ‘‘one person, one account’’ rule, better enable the USPTO to restrict nonattorneys from submitting trademark filings, and prevent rule violations by filing entities and other unauthorized users. It will also allow the USPTO to better track and eliminate the use of sponsored accounts created for unsupervised use by non-attorney entities. Trademark applicants and registrants, or their attorneys and support staff, must register for and use a USPTO.gov account to access and submit trademark application and maintenance filings with the USPTO. Users of a USPTO.gov account and any other USPTO web page or system are required to comply with PO 00000 Frm 00036 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 60667 the Terms of Use for USPTO web pages. Further, to file trademark documents electronically, users must have their identities verified, and are further bound by the Agreement. A verified account can only be connected to one USPTO.gov trademark account. Once qualified U.S.-licensed attorneys have a trademark verified USPTO.gov account, they may sponsor the USPTO.gov accounts of directly supervised support staff. Attorneys who abuse the terms of sponsorship may have their sponsorship privileges—and potentially their own verified accounts—revoked. However, under the current system, support staff can simply create new accounts using unverified information and seek attorney sponsorship again, sometimes by the same attorney. Requiring identity verification of sponsored accounts will allow the USPTO to consistently enforce the Agreement and ensure that a user of a sponsored account cannot create multiple accounts or create a new account and again be sponsored. The following examples demonstrate the impact of the problems caused by the inappropriate use of sponsored accounts. In one instance of abuse, an attorney sponsored more than 30 different accounts used by individuals not under their direct supervision, and perhaps not even personally known to the attorney. In another example, an attorney sponsored multiple accounts for use by non-attorney trademark preparation or filing entities, which are not authorized to practice law, file submissions for clients, or represent parties before the USPTO in trademark matters. Several of these accounts have also been connected to known scams that have defrauded many trademark applicants. Each of these behaviors violates the terms of the Agreement to which each of these attorneys consented. In addition, some law firms are creating institutional accounts that appear to be intended for use by multiple people under generic names such as ‘‘Admin Support.’’ This practice impedes the ability of the USPTO to maintain an accurate filing history and violates the Agreement, even if no improper activities are intended. Under the revised procedures, both existing and new sponsored attorney support staff USPTO.gov account holders will need to verify their identity, using either the electronic or paper process, to access the Trademark Electronic Application System (TEAS). Identity verification will become available on October 14, 2023, for attorney support staff account holders to verify their identities. Existing unverified sponsored attorney support E:\FR\FM\05SEN1.SGM 05SEN1 60668 Federal Register / Vol. 88, No. 170 / Tuesday, September 5, 2023 / Notices staff USPTO.gov accounts will remain active, but will not be able to be used to access or submit trademark forms beginning on January 20, 2024, when identity verification will become mandatory for all users. As of January 20, 2024, only verified account holders will be able to access and submit trademark forms. The USPTO reminds attorneys that 37 CFR 11.503 establishes duties with respect to the supervision of nonpractitioner assistants, and 37 CFR 11.505 forbids a practitioner from assisting in the unauthorized practice of law. Katherine K. Vidal, Under Secretary of Commerce for Intellectual Property and Director of the United States Patent and Trademark Office. [FR Doc. 2023–19000 Filed 9–1–23; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 3510–16–P DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE Department of the Navy Education for Seapower Advisory Board; Notice of Federal Advisory Committee Meeting Department of the Navy (DoN), Department of Defense (DoD). ACTION: Notice of Federal advisory committee meeting. SUMMARY: The DoD is publishing this notice to announce that the following Federal Advisory Committee meeting of the Education for Seapower Advisory Board (E4SAB) will take place. AGENCY: The meeting is open to the public and will be held on Friday, September 15, 2023 from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time Zone (ET). ADDRESSES: The open meeting will be held at the Admiral Gooding Center, Navy Yard, Washington, DC. The meeting will be handicap accessible. Escort is required. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dr. Kendy Vierling, Designated Federal Officer (DFO), Office of the Assistant Secretary of the Navy (Manpower and Reserve Affairs), Pentagon, Washington, DC 20350–1000, 703–695–4589, kendy.k.vierling.civ@us.navy.mil. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This meeting is being held under the provisions of chapter 10 of title 5, United States Code (U.S.C.)(commonly known as the Federal Advisory Committee Act (FACA) (formerly 5 U.S.C. app.), as amended), the Government in the Sunshine Act of 1976 (5 U.S.C. 552b, as amended), and ddrumheller on DSK120RN23PROD with NOTICES1 DATES: VerDate Sep<11>2014 18:02 Sep 01, 2023 Jkt 259001 title 41 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) 102–3.140 and 102–3.150. Purpose of the Meeting: The purpose of the meeting is to discuss naval education programs, strategy and implementation, organizational management, and other matters of interest to the DoD, as determined by the Secretary of Defense, the Deputy Secretary of Defense, or the Secretary of the Navy (SECNAV). Agenda: On September 15, 2023, SECNAV may provide comments or guidance on naval education programs and the Department of the Navy’s Naval Education Strategy 2023. Discussions will be held on the Naval Education Strategy and implementation, and applicable lessons learned from the Education for Seapower Study (2018). The E4SAB will receive updates and recommendations from its three subcommittees, pertaining to aspects of accreditation requirements, operations, and administrative policies of the U.S. Naval War College, Naval Postgraduate School, and U.S. Naval Community College. Availability of Materials for the Meeting: A copy of the agenda or any updates to the agenda for the September 15, 2023 meeting, as well as supporting documents, can be found on the website: https://www.secnav.navy.mil/ mra/e4sab. Meeting Accessibility: Pursuant to section 1009(a)(1) of title 5 U.S.C. and 41 CFR 102–3.140 through 102–3.165, this meeting is open to the public from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. (ET) on September 15, 2023. Members of the public who wish to attend the meeting in person may attend on a space available basis from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. (ET). Persons desiring to attend the meeting are required to submit their name, organization, email address, and telephone contact information to Ms. Tiphany Morales at tiphany.e.morales.civ@us.navy.mil no later than Tuesday, September 5, 2023. Special Accommodations: Individuals requiring special accommodations to access the public meeting should contact Ms. Tiphany Morales at tiphany.e.morales.civ@us.navy.mil no later than Tuesday, September 5, 2023 (by 5:00 p.m. ET) so that appropriate arrangements can be made. Written Statements: Pursuant to 41 CFR 102–3.105 and 102–3.140, and section 1009(a)(3) of title 5 U.S.C., written statements to the committee may be submitted at any time or in response to a stated planned meeting agenda by email to Dr. Kendy Vierling at kendy.k.vierling.civ@us.navy.mil with the subject line, ‘‘Comments for E4SAB Meeting.’’ Written comments pertaining PO 00000 Frm 00037 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 to a specific topic being discussed at the planned meeting received no later than 5:00 p.m. (ET) on Monday, September 11, 2023 will be distributed to the E4SAB, in the order received. Comments pertaining to the agenda items will be discussed during the public meeting. Any written statements received after the deadline may not be provided to, or considered by, the Committee during the September 15, 2023 meeting, but will be provided to the members of the E4SAB prior to the next scheduled meeting. Any comments received by the E4SAB will be posted on the website https:// www.secnav.navy.mil/mra/e4sab. Dated: August 29, 2023. J.E. Koningisor, Lieutenant Commander, Judge Advocate General’s Corps, U.S. Navy, Federal Register Liaison Officer. [FR Doc. 2023–19007 Filed 9–1–23; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 3810–FF–P DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE Department of the Navy Notice of Availability of Record of Decision for the Disposal of Decommissioned, Defueled ExEnterprise (CVN 65) and its Associated Naval Reactor Plants Environmental Impact Statement/Overseas Environmental Impact Statement Department of the Navy (DoN), Department of Defense (DoD). ACTION: Notice of availability. AGENCY: After carefully weighing the environmental, strategic, and operational consequences of the Proposed Action, DoN announces its decision to select Alternative 3 (Commercial Dismantlement), the Preferred Alternative, from the Disposal of Decommissioned, Defueled ExEnterprise (CVN 65) and its Associated Naval Reactor Plants Final Environmental Impact Statement/ Overseas Environmental Impact Statement (EIS/OEIS), published in the Federal Register on June 30, 2023. ADDRESSES: The complete text of the Record of Decision (ROD) is available on the project website at: www.carrierdisposaleis.com, along with the Final EIS/OEIS and supporting documents. Printed copies of the Final EIS/OEIS and ROD are also available for viewing at these public libraries: 1. Kitsap Regional Library, Downtown Bremerton Branch, 612 Fifth St., Bremerton, WA 98337. 2. Richland Public Library, 955 Northgate Dr., Richland, WA 99352. SUMMARY: E:\FR\FM\05SEN1.SGM 05SEN1

Agencies

[Federal Register Volume 88, Number 170 (Tuesday, September 5, 2023)]
[Notices]
[Pages 60667-60668]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2023-19000]


-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

 Patent and Trademark Office

[Docket No. PTO-T-2023-0037]


Requiring Identity Verification for Attorney-Sponsored Accounts

AGENCY: United States Patent and Trademark Office, U.S. Department of 
Commerce.

ACTION: Notice.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: The United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) 
announces that beginning on January 20, 2024, all existing and new 
attorney support staff with an attorney-sponsored USPTO.gov account 
will be required to verify their identity to access trademark filing 
systems. The USPTO is making this change after discovering that some 
U.S.-licensed attorneys have sponsored accounts for individuals who are 
not directly supervised attorney support staff, and that many of these 
sponsored accounts appear to be shared by multiple foreign agents and 
attorneys. These actions violate the Trademark Verified USPTO.gov 
Account Agreement (Agreement).

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Robert Lavache, Office of the Deputy 
Commissioner for Trademark Examination Policy, USPTO, at 571-272-5881. 
You can also send inquiries to [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: In late 2019, as part of the USPTO's 
continuing efforts to protect the integrity of the U.S. trademark 
register, and to better protect its customers from scams and other 
fraudulent activities related to the trademark register, the USPTO 
began requiring customers to create a USPTO.gov account to access and 
submit electronic trademark forms. This enabled the USPTO to monitor 
trademark filing behavior and aided in enforcing the USPTO Trademark 
Rules of Practice regarding submissions in trademark matters. On August 
6, 2022, the USPTO began requiring existing and new account holders who 
occupy one of the appropriate user roles, including owner, U.S.-
licensed attorney, Canadian attorney, or Canadian agent, to verify 
their identity. See Trademarks USPTO.gov Account ID Verification 
Program (87 FR 41114). The USPTO also offered a user role for sponsored 
attorney support staff to establish USPTO.gov accounts when sponsored 
by a supervising U.S.-licensed (or a reciprocally recognized Canadian) 
attorney, and at the time did not require identity verification for 
sponsored support staff accounts. See 87 FR 41114.
    Since establishing the sponsored staff user roles, the USPTO has 
discovered that some U.S.-licensed attorneys have sponsored accounts 
for individuals who are not directly supervised attorney support staff, 
which violates the Agreement that applies to all USPTO.gov account 
holders. Many of these sponsored accounts appear to be used by multiple 
foreign agents and attorneys who file thousands of trademark 
applications involving violations of the USPTO's Trademark Rules of 
Practice, including the rules on signatures and certifications. Because 
the sponsored account user role has been subject to abuse that has 
undermined the integrity of the trademark register and such abuse can 
be significantly curtailed by requiring identity verification of 
sponsored account holders, the USPTO will now require all existing and 
new attorney support staff who are USPTO.gov account holders to verify 
their identity. On October 14, 2023, the USPTO will make identity 
verification available to attorney support staff account holders. It 
will become mandatory for such account holders on January 20, 2024. 
Requiring identity verification of sponsored accounts will help enforce 
the ``one person, one account'' rule, better enable the USPTO to 
restrict non-attorneys from submitting trademark filings, and prevent 
rule violations by filing entities and other unauthorized users. It 
will also allow the USPTO to better track and eliminate the use of 
sponsored accounts created for unsupervised use by non-attorney 
entities.
    Trademark applicants and registrants, or their attorneys and 
support staff, must register for and use a USPTO.gov account to access 
and submit trademark application and maintenance filings with the 
USPTO. Users of a USPTO.gov account and any other USPTO web page or 
system are required to comply with the Terms of Use for USPTO web 
pages. Further, to file trademark documents electronically, users must 
have their identities verified, and are further bound by the Agreement. 
A verified account can only be connected to one USPTO.gov trademark 
account.
    Once qualified U.S.-licensed attorneys have a trademark verified 
USPTO.gov account, they may sponsor the USPTO.gov accounts of directly 
supervised support staff. Attorneys who abuse the terms of sponsorship 
may have their sponsorship privileges--and potentially their own 
verified accounts--revoked. However, under the current system, support 
staff can simply create new accounts using unverified information and 
seek attorney sponsorship again, sometimes by the same attorney. 
Requiring identity verification of sponsored accounts will allow the 
USPTO to consistently enforce the Agreement and ensure that a user of a 
sponsored account cannot create multiple accounts or create a new 
account and again be sponsored.
    The following examples demonstrate the impact of the problems 
caused by the inappropriate use of sponsored accounts. In one instance 
of abuse, an attorney sponsored more than 30 different accounts used by 
individuals not under their direct supervision, and perhaps not even 
personally known to the attorney. In another example, an attorney 
sponsored multiple accounts for use by non-attorney trademark 
preparation or filing entities, which are not authorized to practice 
law, file submissions for clients, or represent parties before the 
USPTO in trademark matters. Several of these accounts have also been 
connected to known scams that have defrauded many trademark applicants. 
Each of these behaviors violates the terms of the Agreement to which 
each of these attorneys consented. In addition, some law firms are 
creating institutional accounts that appear to be intended for use by 
multiple people under generic names such as ``Admin Support.'' This 
practice impedes the ability of the USPTO to maintain an accurate 
filing history and violates the Agreement, even if no improper 
activities are intended.
    Under the revised procedures, both existing and new sponsored 
attorney support staff USPTO.gov account holders will need to verify 
their identity, using either the electronic or paper process, to access 
the Trademark Electronic Application System (TEAS). Identity 
verification will become available on October 14, 2023, for attorney 
support staff account holders to verify their identities. Existing 
unverified sponsored attorney support

[[Page 60668]]

staff USPTO.gov accounts will remain active, but will not be able to be 
used to access or submit trademark forms beginning on January 20, 2024, 
when identity verification will become mandatory for all users. As of 
January 20, 2024, only verified account holders will be able to access 
and submit trademark forms.
    The USPTO reminds attorneys that 37 CFR 11.503 establishes duties 
with respect to the supervision of non-practitioner assistants, and 37 
CFR 11.505 forbids a practitioner from assisting in the unauthorized 
practice of law.

Katherine K. Vidal,
Under Secretary of Commerce for Intellectual Property and Director of 
the United States Patent and Trademark Office.
[FR Doc. 2023-19000 Filed 9-1-23; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-16-P
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