Trademark Application Surge Seen Slowing Registrations at Agency

A 63 percent increase in foreign and domestic trademark applications over the last year has caused a backlog and slowed examination times at the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO). The surge is believed to be a result of an increase in e-commerce as businesses and the economy shifted in response to the pandemic. Finnegan partner Danny Awdeh said the surge has created challenges to clearing marks and assessing risk as well as getting applications through quickly. He also noted he has seen numerous instances of bad-faith filings for copycat marks out of China. He said, “We’re seeing clients who are doing very well in this environment and are filing additional applications expanding their reach and product lines, so that’s contributing for sure, but there’s a very significant portion coming from China.”

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