John Squires Officially Nominated to Direct the US Patent & Trademark Office (USPTO)

After weeks of speculation, John Squires is now the official nominee to direct the US Patent & Trademark Office (USPTO).

The next step will be to pass the Senate’s Judiciary Committee, which is not expected to be difficult. Squires may find the process familiar. He has previously testified before the Senate Judiciary Committee on behalf of the American Bankers Association and the Securities Industry and Financial Markets Association on the topic of patent reform. He has also testified before the Federal Trade Commission on the Evolving IP Market Place.

Once cleared, Squires will replace the Acting Director of the Office, Coke Morgan Stewart. As Under Secretary of Commerce for Intellectual Property and Director of the USPTO, Squires is set to lead the agency’s 14,000 employees. He will serve under the US Secretary of Commerce, who has previously vowed to address the backlog of USPTO patent applications.

Squires gained notoriety as the chief IP attorney at Goldman Sachs. He has acted as an IP attorney with multiple international law firms, most recently acting as the Chair of Emerging Companies and IP at the law firm of Dillworth Paxson. According to the firm, Squires' practice has focused on cyberthreats, blockchain and artificial intelligence. His experience also includes time at the University of Pennsylvania, Carey Law School, where he served as a professor.

The attorneys at Renner Otto will continue to monitor this and other new USPTO developments. Feel free to reach out with any questions.