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.
I could not be happier if this rumor is true because there are few IP attorneys in the country who understand the Patent and Trademark Office better than Bill Atkins (in all transparency, Bill and I have known each other since law school).
Bill has what it takes for the job. He knows IP law, policy and practice, having represented hundreds of clients in high-stakes patent and trademark disputes before the USPTO itself (PTAB and TTAB) as well as in many federal district court, circuit court, and ITC proceedings. He has authored numerous amicus briefs on patent and trademark policy and legal issues with the Federal Circuit and U.S. Supreme Court. His clients have run the gamut from individuals and start-ups to multinationals.
Bill knows how to lead a diverse organization. Over his plus 30-year career, Bill has held numerous leadership positions at Pillsbury, including as a member of the Managing Board, Co-Chair of 120 attorney IP Section, and Office Managing Partner. Bill has earned the trust and respect of his partners and co-workers, many of whom are leaders in the profession.
Bill has seriously dedicated himself to the advancement of the IP profession, including through writing, teaching and speaking. Indeed, he is the brainchild behind, and long-time editor of, the PTAB Handbook, now in its eight edition. He is Co-Editor of the ABA’s Patent Litigation Strategies Handbook (5th Edition 2024). And he has served as an Adjunct Professor at the George Washington University School of Law (2017-present) and University of Maryland Law School (2023-present).
Bill lives and breathes IP law and policy. He is a committed leader to the profession. He has the skills, smarts and stamina to lead the USPTO, advancing sensible policies to further the United State’s leadership in the international IP community. He brings common sense to a job that desperately needs it. He is both practitioner and stakeholder friendly while also understanding the greater importance of a strong patent and trademark system and how our IP system enhances the United States’ role as a global powerhouse in intellectual property. Bill is sure to bring wisdom and vision to this crucially important post.
The USPTO needs a strong, smart, dedicated IP leader at the helm as it continues to face increasing global and domestic challenges. It needs a person of the highest character and integrity, one who garners the trust and respect of a diverse IP community.
With the decision looming, it is crucial for the Trump administration to consider the qualifications and expertise that Bill Atkins brings to this crucial position. The IP community and nation eagerly await the outcome.
Don’t waste one more cent of taxpayers hard-earned funds. Abolish this corrupt beyond repair USPTO and start over to build a department headed by an inventory and not a crooked big-tech patent attorney who wants to rape inventors for big tech MAFIA!
Look at USInventor.org management to build a new patent office to serve inventors, if you want to get the innovation back on tracks in the U.S.
The government is not about to abolish the USPTO and “start over.” That does not mean the system is not in need of repair, and individual inventors always have been the lifeblood of innovation in our government. If USInventor.org has sensible policies and ideas to “build a better patent office,” then it should want a strong, respected advocate and leader in IP who will listen to those concerns and who knows how to build support.