The mission of the Office of Patent Legal Administration (OPLA) is to assist in the development and administration of U.S. patent law, advise the USPTO on patent examination policy and formulate new regulations, policies, and procedures regarding patents.

OPLA staff maintain 4 telephone numbers addressing different areas of patent examination policy to provide legal and policy guidance, as follows:

(571) 272-7701 - General patent examination legal and policy guidance.

OPLA DUTIES

• OPLA provides legal and policy guidance to the Commissioner for Patents, the Deputy Commissioner for Patent Operations, the Deputy Commissioner for Patent Resources and Planning, and the Deputy Commissioner for Patent Examination Policy.

• OPLA assists in the development and implementation of patent law, provides means for its implementation, and formulates the accompanying regulations and practices.

• OPLA  monitors specialized programs such as reexamination, reissue and patent term extension; and assists in the efforts to negotiate the harmonization of patent laws and other international matters.

• OPLA provides MPEP staff with suggested changes to the MPEP as a result of changes to the patent rules.

• OPLA is also responsible for updating a majority of forms used by the patent examining corps and USPTO customers to reflect changes made to the patent rules and through policy initiatives.

• OPLA legal advisors and special projects examiner provide staff assistance on special projects or studies as may be assigned by the Director of the OPLA, the Deputy Commissioner for Patent Examination Policy or the Commissioner for Patents. They also prepare reports or other documents as may be appropriate including studies and papers comparing US patent law and practices with the patent laws of other countries.

• OPLA staff  research case law, appropriate rules, facts-in-evidence, and other pertinent information; discuss policy implications with top USPTO management officials; compose USPTO decisions and either sign the decision(s) or have the final USPTO decision signed by the Deputy Commissioner for Patent Examination Policy or other top US Patent and Trademark Office management officials.

• OPLA staff represent the USPTO and explain US patent law and Office policies and procedures in letters, phone calls, lectures and other contacts with members of the public and the patent bar.

• OPLA staff decide various petitions and assists the Office of Petitions in deciding petitions, which have been delegated to that office for consideration.

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