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27 April 2017Patents

Facebook, Amazon and Google back USPTO director Michelle Lee

More than 50 associations, including Facebook, Amazon and Google, have signed a letter to President Donald Trump backing Michelle Lee’s continued leadership at the US Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

Earlier this year there was speculation that Lee was going to leave the office.

On Tuesday, April 25, the Consumer Technology Association announced it had joined more than 50 associations, advocacy groups and companies in a letter to Trump.

The letters’ signatories said that as innovators, inventors and industries that “represent ever corner of the American economy”, they depend on technology, innovation and IP to “grow our businesses”.

They added that a “strong patent system is vital to our continued success”.

Abusive patent litigation tactics undermine IP in the US and are “drain” on the economy, the letter said.

These tactics threaten inventors and businesses with broad “baseless claims”.

In recent years, the USPTO has made “important strides in improving patent quality, reducing the patent backlog, and ensuring robust post-grant review procedures”.

These advancements have led to a “stronger American patent system” and the USPTO’s leadership is of “critical importance” to the industries.

The companies concluded that it is a critical time for the USPTO, adding that they have been “very pleased” with the leadership of Lee who has been committed to making sure that the USPTO creates the maximum economic benefit for American inventors and businesses.

“We believe that the American economy would greatly benefit from her continued leadership, or the leadership of a USPTO director committed to the priorities she has instituted and championed.”

Lee was unanimously voted in by the US Senate Judiciary Committee in February 2015.

Earlier this year there was speculation that Lee would step down or be replaced after Trump took the US presidency.

In April this year,  Politicoreported that Lee was in the “running” to head up the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy.

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More on this story

Patents
2 March 2015   The US Senate Judiciary Committee voted unanimously on Thursday to make former Google lawyer Michelle Lee director of the US Patent and Trademark Office.
Copyright
20 January 2017   Michelle Lee, director at the US Patent and Trademark Office, will reportedly remain in her role under the Donald Trump administration.
Patents
7 June 2017   Michelle Lee stepped down from her role as director of the US Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) yesterday.