Patent and Trademark Office September 21, 2016 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The United States Patent and Trademark Office published a document in the Federal Register on August 22, 2016, concerning requests for comments on a Pro Bono Survey. The Pro Bono Survey is used by the Pro Bono Advisory Council (PBAC) and the USPTO to provide information to the USPTO regarding the current status and effectiveness of each region's pro bono hub. The document contained an incorrect cost burden based on the estimate of the hourly burden rate. The hourly rate estimate should use the Bureau of Labor Statistics hourly wage for lawyers instead of the American Intellectual Property Law Association hourly wage for intellectual property lawyers.