USPTO Opens Registration for Final PTAB Listening Session on Board Administration and Reform

The United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) has officially opened registration for the third and final session of its three-part spring listening series dedicated to the Patent Trial and Appeal Board (PTAB). This concluding session, entitled “PTAB Administration and Reform,” is scheduled for Monday, May 18, 2026, from 3 to 5 p.m. Eastern Time.

The event will take place in the Clara Barton Auditorium at the USPTO headquarters located at 600 Dulany Street, Alexandria, Virginia. Attendees may join either in person or virtually, with registration required for both options.

Two expert panels, moderated by USPTO officials, will lead discussions exploring suggestions aimed at enhancing the PTAB’s operational efficiency and overall effectiveness. The USPTO has invited interested individuals to participate as panelists during this session by emailing OUSEvents@uspto.gov.

Security protocols require that all in-person attendees present a U.S. government-issued REAL ID to gain entry to the USPTO facility. Participants are advised to plan accordingly to ensure smooth access.

Following confirmation of panelists, the USPTO will announce the full list of speakers and the detailed session schedule. These updates will be made available on the PTAB Administration and Reform event page on the USPTO website.

The USPTO has noted that live questions will not be accepted during the session. Instead, attendees and interested parties are encouraged to submit questions in advance via email to OUSEvents@uspto.gov for consideration by the panelists.

The USPTO also provided guidance for recipients experiencing difficulties accessing links in related communications, recommending coordination with IT or email administrators to allow-list specific domains to ensure full content accessibility.

To stay informed about USPTO events and updates, individuals are encouraged to subscribe to regular email notifications through the USPTO subscription center at www.uspto.gov/subscribe.

This announcement was disseminated from an unmonitored mailbox. For further inquiries or to contact the USPTO, stakeholders should visit the agency’s contact page at www.uspto.gov/about/contacts.

The USPTO continues to engage the patent community and public stakeholders through these listening sessions as part of its ongoing efforts to refine PTAB processes and enhance the patent system’s integrity and responsiveness.