Trademark Application Surge Seen Slowing Registrations at Agency

A huge surge in foreign and domestic trademark applications has created an “increasing” backlog and slowed examination times, Commissioner of Trademarks David Gooder said in a blog post—and attorneys have noticed.

The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office is trying to better understand the reasons for the influx, hiring more examiners, and implementing information technology solutions, Gooder said in his post. Applications are up 63% over the last year, an increase of about 211,000, Gooder said. The volume in December 2020 alone was up 172% over December 2019, Gooder said.

“We will eventually bring our processing times back to customary ...