USPTO's Coke Stewart Addresses Challenges Office is Facing for LIVE 2025 Attendees
Briefly

During IPWatchdog LIVE 2025, USPTO Acting Director Coke Morgan Stewart provided insights into the current status and future of the USPTO. Despite experiencing high attrition rates and a pending hiring freeze, Stewart expressed optimism for the agency's future, attributing this to strong leadership appreciation for intellectual property rights. With less than 3% of the workforce engaging in a deferred resignation program, the agency aims to strategically fill positions after a temporary hiring freeze. The current inventory of applications stands at a historically high 1.2 million, a situation the agency is addressing thoughtfully.
"Despite the challenges and shakeups the Office is currently experiencing, I have a positive outlook for the future of the Office, partially due to the unique appreciation for IP rights."
"It hasn't had a great effect on us. Less than 3% of the workforce has taken advantage of the deferred resignation program, and the losses are evenly dispersed throughout the Office."
Read at IPWatchdog.com | Patents & Intellectual Property Law
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