An unusual growth rate of U.S. trademark applications appears to be slowing, giving Patent and Trademark officials a chance to reduce processing wait times.
Trademark attorneys said they hope wait times will come down quickly, but are bracing for the possibility that it will take until next year, if not longer, to reach normal processing periods. In the meantime, the waits mean clients don’t have the benefit of a registration to help them enforce their marks. In some cases, applicants must face more expensive attorneys’ fees because attorneys are working longer on their registrations.
Examiners usually initially evaluate applications within ...