Organizational offices

The Office of the Under Secretary (OUS) is the principal advisor to the president, the Secretary of Commerce, and the administration on all intellectual property matters. The OUS oversees all offices within the USPTO, ensuring the agency achieves strategic and management goals, including quality, timeliness, cost-effectiveness, and transparency.

The Public Advisory Committees advise the Under Secretary of Commerce for Intellectual Property and Director of the USPTO on the management of the patent and the trademark operations. The Public Advisory Committees consist of citizens of the United States chosen to represent the interests of the diverse users of the USPTO.

The Patent Trial and Appeal Board (PTAB) is created by statute, and includes statutory members and Administrative Patent Judges. The PTAB is charged with rendering decisions on: appeals from adverse examiner decisions, post-issuance challenges to patents, and interferences.

The Trademark Trial and Appeal Board (TTAB) hears and decides adversary proceedings involving: oppositions to the registration of trademarks, petitions to cancel trademark registrations and proceedings involving applications for concurrent use registrations of trademarks. The Board also decides appeals taken from the trademark examining attorneys' refusals to allow registration of trademarks. The TTAB Assistance Center is available for telephone and email inquiries Monday-Friday 8:30 a.m.to 5 p.m. ET (except federal holidays).

The Office of Patents of the USPTO examines applications and grants patents on inventions when applicants are entitled to them; it publishes and disseminates patent information, records assignments of patents, maintains search files of U.S. and foreign patents and maintains a search room for public use in examining issued patents and records.

The Office of Trademarks is responsible for trademark examination policy, trademark operations, and trademark administration.

Assists the Director of the USPTO in advising the President, through the Secretary of Commerce, and federal agencies on domestic and international IP issues.

The Office of the Chief Administrative Officer (OCAO) is responsible for the overall administrative activities and functions of the USPTO. The OCAO consists of the Office of Administrative Services, the Office of Human Resources, and Telework Coordination.

The Office of the Chief Communications Officer manages the USPTO's public affairs function and coordinates a wide variety of internal and external communications.

The Office of the Chief Financial Office (OCFO) advises the Under Secretary and Director on planning, budgetary, financial, and procurement matters. The OCFO also oversees implementation of and compliance with all federal laws and regulations pertaining to financial management, including the preparation of the USPTOs audited financial statements, financial management systems, and the planning and reporting of performance measures.

The Chief Information Officer (CIO) is the principal advisor to the Under Secretary of Commerce for Intellectual Property and Director of the United States Patent and Trademark Office on the application and transformation of information technology (IT) for the USPTO’s business.

The Office of Equal Employment Opportunity and Diversity provides leadership, direction, and guidance in carrying out its equal opportunity and civil rights responsibilities. The USPTO promotes equal opportunity by a continuing affirmative program that identifies and eliminates discriminatory practices and policies.

The USPTO Office of the General Counsel (OGC) plays a vital role in the USPTO’s mission to issue patents and trademarks. It does so by providing timely and innovative legal advice which promotes innovation and creativity. The OGC is headed by a General Counsel, who is responsible for overall management of the division and acts as the Under Secretary and Director’s principal legal advisor in assuring the provision of legal advice and representation for the agency. The OGC also manages the USPTO's Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) program. The OGC is concerned with defense of agency decisions in court and administrative tribunals, internal agency legal advice, and regulation of persons practicing before the USPTO. The OGC consists of three organizations, which are: