Sunday Sundries
Rose Hughes
Sunday Sundries
Here is your IPKat round-up of the latest IP news and a look at the busy calendar of upcoming events for your diary! This week features significant updates from the USTPO on tackling fraud and deploying new technology, alongside many conferences, seminars, and networking opportunities across the UK and Europe.
News from the USPTO
This Kat was interested to see a flurry of activity from the USPTO over the last month, with several announcements indicating a robust approach to managing the integrity of its registers and modernising its examination processes.
USPTO cracks down on fraudulent filings
The USPTO has taken action against fraudulent trademark filings. On August 6, 2025, the office issued sanctions against a foreign filing firm, leading to the termination of over 52,000 applications and registrations connected to it. The firm was found to have submitted documents without the proper authority or qualifications. To hide its activities, the firm engaged in various deceptive practices, including misusing the credentials and faking the electronic signatures of U.S.-licensed attorneys, signing documents using other people's names, submitting fake specimens of use, and misusing USPTO.gov accounts. By taking these records off the trademark register, the USPTO aims to ensure the register is an accurate reflection of trademarks that are genuinely in use in commerce.
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Expedited examination for design applications eliminated
In another move to combat fraud, the USPTO has issued a final rule to eliminate the expedited examination of design applications, which became effective on August 14, 2025. This follows a suspension of the program that began on April 17, 2025. The decision was prompted by a massive 560% surge in requests for expedited examination in recent years, a significant portion of which was linked to fraudulent applications. The agency stated this change will help its efforts to address erroneous micro entity certifications and protect the IP system against threats. For those applicants with a legitimate need to speed up the process, design patent applicants can still seek to advance the examination of an application under the Accelerated Examination program by filing a petition to make special with the necessary showing and fee.
AI-assisted examination tool goes live
The USPTO is also embracing new technology to improve its processes. The office has announced that its AI-assisted examination tool, Similarity Search (SimSearch), is ready "for prime time". Since September 2022, utility patent examiners have been using SimSearch to conduct prior art searches. The tool uses the text of the application under review to generate an AI search query and provide ranked results, helping examiners to more effectively find documents similar to the application. The intention is to augment, not replace, existing search tools, and examiners retain full discretion on whether to apply the results. SimSearch is available through the internal Patents End-to-End (PE2E) Search platform and can be updated easily as an application is amended.
Upcoming events
There is a packed schedule of events for IP professionals over the next few months.
See here for CIPA's full list of events. Here are some highlights:
CIPA UPC conference 2025
Coming up very soon, CIPA is holding its UPC Conference 2025 on Thursday, 11 September. This conference is open to all who are interested in the latest developments concerning the Unified Patent Court.
KPAA seminar
A new event on the calendar is the KPAA Seminar, which is scheduled for Monday, 22 September, and is open to all.
UKIPO standard essential patents consultation
There is a webinar on the UK IPO Standard Essential Patents Consultation on Thursday, 25 September. This event is open to everyone.
Northern Ireland networking drinks
Also on Thursday, 25 September, there is a social networking event in Northern Ireland for members.
CIPA Annual Dinner 2025
CIPA will be celebrating the 10th anniversary of its Annual Dinner on Thursday, 9 October. This social event is a chance to mark a decade of progress and connection within the community, and all members are welcome to attend.
IP paralegal conference 2025
Paralegals should mark Thursday, 16 October in their calendars for the IP Paralegal Conference 2025, to be held at the De Vere Grand Connaught Rooms in London.
ISHTIP 2025-26 seminar series
The International Society for the History and Theory of Intellectual Property (ISHTIP) has announced its 2025-26 online seminar series, bringing together scholars from around the world. The series kicks off on Wednesday, 22 October 2025, at 3:00 PM London time with Hyo Yoon Kang (University of Warwick) discussing "After Patent Republic". Subsequent seminars will be held via Zoom, including Rosemary Coombe (York University) and David Jefferson (University of Canterbury) on 17 November 2025; Gerardo Con Diaz (UC Davis) on 8 December 2025; Jose Bellido (University of Kent) on 9 February 2026; Paula Westenberger (Brunel University) on 3 March 2026; and Séverine Dusollier and Nicolas Malevé (Sciences Po) on 18 May 2026.
Patent case law 2025 – Scotland
For members based in Scotland, a seminar on Patent Case Law 2025 will be held on Thursday, 23 October.
Student Induction Day 2026
Looking ahead to the new year, the Student Induction Day 2026 is scheduled for Thursday, 22 January 2026, at 22 Duchess Mews, London.
Union-IP autumn dinner
The UNION-IP British Group is hosting its autumn dinner on Thursday, 25 September 2025, at No. 1 Dining Room, Bleeding Heart in London. The group will welcome Lisa Jorgenson, Deputy Director General (Patents & Technology) of WIPO, as the guest speaker. Having previously served as Executive Director of AIPLA and spent nearly 25 years in IP at STMicroelectronics, she is a familiar face to many in the field. Places are strictly limited to 50 attendees, so early booking is advised. Get tickets here.
Luxembourg conference on European intellectual property case law
On Friday, 26 September 2025, the Luxembourg Intellectual Property Institute and the Intellectual Property Office of the Ministry of the Economy are co-hosting a conference on the "Variety and accumulation of intellectual property rights". The event will take place at the Luxembourg Chamber of Commerce. The day features a full programme of distinguished speakers, including judges from the Court of Justice and General Court of the European Union, professors, and legal experts. Sessions will cover topics such as the relationship between copyright and design, three-dimensional trademarks, unfair competition, computer programs, and generative AI. More details here.
Call for papers: 8th IPIRA conference
The IP & Innovation Researchers of Asia (IPIRA) Network has announced a call for submissions for its eighth conference, to be held in-person on 29-30 January 2026 at the Singapore University of Social Sciences (SUSS) in Singapore. The deadline for applications to present is 20 October 2025. The conference is organised by the IPIRA Network and SUSS in cooperation with a host of international universities and is supported by WIPO, the WTO, and the Intellectual Property Office of Singapore (IPOS). For those based in Europe, the organisers note that nothing beats the weather in Singapore during the winter.
IP webinar
4IPcouncil is hosting a free webinar on 9th September "How IP can save your company". See here to register.