More Than Legal Fees: The True Price Of An Ethics Investigation For Lawyers

Attorney Mental Health, Attorneys and Addiction, Patent Ethics, USPTO Discipline Procedure, USPTO Ethics Investigation, USPTO OED, Wellness / By

Attorneys who find themselves in the crosshairs of an ethics investigation or disciplinary proceeding face significant costs.  When a lawyer receives a bar complaint, they typically focus on what it will cost to pay an attorney to represent them.  But the true price of an ethics investigation involves much more than just lawyer fees.  Lawyers […]

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subject matter conflict

Obviously Not! Navigating Subject Matter Conflicts of Interest in Patent Law

Conflicts of Interest / By

For any attorney, navigating conflicts of interest is a cornerstone of a solid legal practice. The fundamental rules are simple: you cannot represent one client if their interests are directly adverse to another client, or if your duties to a client would be materially limited by your duties to another current or former client, third

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The Peril of Pro Se Responses: Why Attorneys Must Properly Respond to Sanctions Motions

Patent Litigation Ethics / By

Receiving a sanctions motion or an order to show cause (OSC) can be a jarring experience for any attorney. It’s a direct challenge to your professional reputation, and the instinct might be to defend yourself personally. However, recent publicly filed responses underscore the need to carefully craft responses that both protect your client and your

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USPTO Fraud Squad

USPTO’s New Fraud Squad – Concrete Steps or More of the Same?

Design Patents / By

Introduction On April 16, 2025, the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) announced a new Fraud Detection and Mitigation Working Group.  The USPTO states that the working group is aimed at protecting the integrity of the patent system.  In doing so, they also announced another change, the suspension of expedited examination for design patent applications,

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McCabe & Ali Join Amicus Brief in Support of Perkins Coie

Patent Ethics / By

McCabe & Ali is proud to have signed the amicus brief of Solo and Small Firm attorneys backing Perkins Coie’s challenge in the D.C. District Court to the Trump administration’s executive order targeting it.   Our firm, and 333 others, have requested leave to file an amicus brief condemning the order stripping security clearances from and

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AI discipline

The Citation Snafu: Did A Practitioner Using AI Get Disciplined?

Patent Ethics / By

We’ve been tracking the burgeoning use of generative AI by patent and trademark lawyers, previously exploring its potential and pitfalls, including the use of AI before the TTAB, a warning about hallucination, and an IP lawyer’s guide to AI.  However, we had yet to see the USPTO actually discipline an attorney for the use of

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Who Is Being Considered For Next USPTO Director? One BigLaw Partner Whose Name Is Being Floated At Mar-A-Lago

USPTO ( United States patent and trademark office), Patent Law, Trademark Law, USPTO Director, USPTO Leadership / By

The search for the next USPTO Director is underway, and sources indicate one notable candidate whose name is being discussed by the Trump administration is Pillsbury Winthrop long-time partner William P. Atkins.

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