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<div dir="auto">Hi David (and anyone else interested in opining),</div>
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<div dir="auto">Happy new year! Following up on my initial inquiry, there is a quirk with Adobe Sign.</div>
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<div dir="auto">Adobe Sign only uses a signature envelope--which consists of a line and a small printed stamp beneath the signature with the name of the signatory, date, and time--when a signature is created within Adobe. There is no signature envelope when
a signature is uploaded instead.</div>
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<div dir="auto">Under 37 C.F.R. § 1.4(d)(4), the document-signing software \u201cmust result in the signature page or electronic submission form bearing an indication that the page or form was generated or electronically signed using document-signing software.\u201d
Signature Requirements Related to Acceptance of Electronic Signatures for Patent Correspondence, 89 Fed. Reg. 20321 (March 22, 2024). When uploading an image of a signature, Adobe Sign does not do this.</div>
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<div dir="auto">However, an uploaded image of a signature would likely be a \u201c<span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family: "Open Sans", "Sohne Buch", Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">graphic representation of
a handwritten signature</span>\u201d that is permitted under 37 C.F.R. § 1.4(d)(3).</div>
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<div dir="auto">I am probably overthinking this, but it doesn\u2019t seem clear to me whether it is necessary to satisfy the requirements of Rule 1.4(d)(4) when document-signing software is used to generate a signature that otherwise satisfies Rule 1.4(d)(3).</div>
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<div dir="auto">Thanks in advance for your input!</div>
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<div dir="auto">Best,</div>
<div dir="auto">Umair</div>
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<div dir="auto">-----</div>
<div dir="auto">Umair A. Qadeer</div>
<div dir="auto">Registered Patent Attorney</div>
<div dir="auto">Qadeer LLC</div>
<div dir="auto">312.248.3020</div>
<div dir="auto">umair@qadeerip.com</div>
<div dir="auto">www.qadeerip.com</div>
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<div dir="auto">CONFIDENTIALITY NOTICE: This e-mail, and any attachments thereto, is intended only for the designated recipient. It may contain legally privileged or confidential information and may be subject to the attorney-client privilege or other privilege.
If you have received this e-mail in error, please immediately return it to the sender, delete it, and destroy any copies. If you have any questions, please contact the sender, Umair A. Qadeer, by e-mail at umair@qadeerip.com or by telephone at (312) 248-3020.</div>
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<div style="font-size:12px;color:#575757" dir="auto">Sent from my T-Mobile 5G Device</div>
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<div>-------- Original message --------</div>
<div>From: "Umair A. Qadeer" <umair@qadeerip.com> </div>
<div>Date: 1/1/25 11:11 AM (GMT-06:00) </div>
<div>To: patentpractice@oppedahl-lists.com </div>
<div>Cc: David Boundy <DavidBoundyEsq@gmail.com> </div>
<div>Subject: RE: [Patentpractice] e-signatures using document-signing software </div>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt; font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif">Hi David,</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt; font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt; font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif">Thanks for your reply, and happy new year! I appreciate the confirmation. I will be saving the validations, of course.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt; font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt; font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif">With respect to assignments, I do get them notarized as a practice default, but some clients are uninterested or unwilling to go through the extra step. If the non-notarized
assignment relates to a U.S. only filing, I warn them of the risks and then proceed.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt; font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt; font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif">Best,</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt; font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif">Umair</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt; font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif"> </span></p>
<p style="background:white" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.5pt; font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif; color:black">-----</span><span style="font-size:10.5pt; font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif"></span></p>
<p style="background:white" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.5pt; font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif; color:black">Umair A. Qadeer</span><span style="font-size:10.5pt; font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif"></span></p>
<p style="background:white" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.5pt; font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif; color:black">Registered Patent Attorney</span><span style="font-size:10.5pt; font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif"></span></p>
<p style="background:white" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.5pt; font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif; color:black">Qadeer LLC</span><span style="font-size:10.5pt; font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif"></span></p>
<p style="background:white" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.5pt; font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif; color:black">312.248.3020</span><span style="font-size:10.5pt; font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif"></span></p>
<p style="background:white" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.5pt; font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif; color:black"><a href="mailto:umair@qadeerip.com">umair@qadeerip.com</a></span><span style="font-size:10.5pt; font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif"></span></p>
<p style="background:white" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.5pt; font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif; color:black"><a href="http://www.qadeerip.com">www.qadeerip.com</a></span><span style="font-size:10.5pt; font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif"></span></p>
<p style="background:white" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.5pt; font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif"> </span></p>
<p style="background:white" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.5pt; font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif"> </span></p>
<p style="background:white" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.5pt; font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif; color:black">CONFIDENTIALITY NOTICE: This e-mail, and any attachments thereto, is intended only for the designated recipient. It may contain legally
privileged or confidential information and may be subject to the attorney-client privilege or other privilege. If you have received this e-mail in error, please immediately return it to the sender, delete it, and destroy any copies. If you have any questions,
please contact the sender, Umair A. Qadeer, by e-mail at <a href="mailto:umair@qadeerip.com">
umair@qadeerip.com</a> or by telephone at (312) 248-3020.</span><span style="font-size:10.5pt; font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif"></span></p>
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<div style="border:none; border-top:solid #E1E1E1 1.0pt; padding:3.0pt 0in 0in 0in">
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:11.0pt; font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif">From:</span></b><span style="font-size:11.0pt; font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif"> David Boundy <DavidBoundyEsq@gmail.com>
<br>
<b>Sent:</b> Tuesday, December 31, 2024 8:25 PM<br>
<b>To:</b> For patent practitioners. This is not for laypersons to seek legal advice. <patentpractice@oppedahl-lists.com><br>
<b>Cc:</b> Umair A. Qadeer <umair@qadeerip.com><br>
<b>Subject:</b> Re: [Patentpractice] e-signatures using document-signing software</span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal">Yup, the rule and comments mean what they say. For oath/declaration and for Rule 131/132 declarations, "reasonable basis to believe" between your ears is good enough for PTO purposes. If the affiant might repudiate sometime in the future,
be sure to save the validation somewhere.</p>
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<p class="MsoNormal">ASSIGNMENTS are a whole different thing. Please get your assignments notarized. Docusign doesn't cut it.</p>
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<div>
<p class="MsoNormal">On Tue, Dec 31, 2024, 6:43 PM Umair A. Qadeer via Patentpractice <<a href="mailto:patentpractice@oppedahl-lists.com">patentpractice@oppedahl-lists.com</a>> wrote:</p>
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<p style="" class="MsoNormal">Hi all,</p>
<p style="" class="MsoNormal"> </p>
<p style="" class="MsoNormal">I hope everyone had a joyous and restful holiday. I am hoping to tap into the wisdom of the hive mind regarding e-signatures.</p>
<p style="" class="MsoNormal"> </p>
<p style="" class="MsoNormal">I will be submitting several Rule 132 declarations with an Office Action response. These declarations are from third parties, and I\u2019m trying to be respectful of their time. I\u2019ve had issues in the past with S-signatures not appearing
correctly on documents or individuals forgetting to include one or both forward slashes, which has required getting signatures multiple times. Thus I am getting e-signatures via Adobe Sign instead of S-signatures.</p>
<p style="" class="MsoNormal"> </p>
<p style="" class="MsoNormal">New Rule 1.4(d)(4) allows the use of electronic signatures obtained via third-party document-signing software for patent submissions to the USPTO.
<i>See</i> 37 C.F.R. § 1.4(d)(4). Rule 1.4(d)(5)(ii) requires retaining evidence of authenticity: \u201c[a] person submitting a document signed by another under paragraph (d)(2), (3), or (4) is obligated to have a reasonable basis to believe that the person whose
signature is present on the document was actually inserted by that person, and should retain evidence of authenticity of the signature.\u201d 37 C.F.R. § 1.4(d)(5)(ii).</p>
<p style="" class="MsoNormal"> </p>
<p style="" class="MsoNormal">The <i>Federal Register </i>notice explains that the software must \u201cpreserve signature data for later inspection in the form of a digital certificate, token, or audit trail\u201d and meet the other signature requirements. Signature
Requirements Related to Acceptance of Electronic Signatures for Patent Correspondence, 89 Fed. Reg. 20321 (March 22, 2024),
<a href="https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2024/03/22/2024-06126/signature-requirements-related-to-acceptance-of-electronic-signatures-for-patent-correspondence">
https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2024/03/22/2024-06126/signature-requirements-related-to-acceptance-of-electronic-signatures-for-patent-correspondence</a>. The notice further states that \u201cUSPTO personnel retain the discretion to inquire about the acceptability
of a signature on a submission or require ratification, confirmation, or evidence of authenticity of such signature, where the USPTO has reasonable doubt as to the authenticity (veracity) of the signature.\u201d
<i>Id.</i></p>
<p style="" class="MsoNormal"> </p>
<p style="" class="MsoNormal">Adobe Sign generates a verification page that includes the e-mail address of the signatory. Based on the above, it seems that it is unnecessary to actually submit the verification page, and a printed PDF of the document sans verification
page will suffice. However, this isn\u2019t clearly stated in the rule or the notice, so I thought I\u2019d inquire to see if anyone understands the requirement differently or otherwise submits the verification page for e-signed documents.</p>
<p style="" class="MsoNormal"> </p>
<p style="" class="MsoNormal">Happy new year to all!</p>
<p style="" class="MsoNormal"><br>
Best,</p>
<p style="" class="MsoNormal">Umair</p>
<p style="" class="MsoNormal"> </p>
<p style="background:white" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.5pt; color:black">-----</span></p>
<p style="background:white" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.5pt; color:black">Umair A. Qadeer</span></p>
<p style="background:white" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.5pt; color:black">Registered Patent Attorney</span></p>
<p style="background:white" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.5pt; color:black">Qadeer LLC</span></p>
<p style="background:white" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.5pt; color:black">312.248.3020</span></p>
<p style="background:white" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.5pt; color:black"><a href="mailto:umair@qadeerip.com">umair@qadeerip.com</a></span></p>
<p style="background:white" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.5pt; color:black"><a href="http://www.qadeerip.com">www.qadeerip.com</a></span></p>
<p style="background:white" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.5pt; color:black"> </span></p>
<p style="background:white" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.5pt; color:black"> </span></p>
<p style="background:white" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.5pt; color:black">CONFIDENTIALITY NOTICE: This e-mail, and any attachments thereto, is intended only for the designated recipient. It may contain legally privileged or confidential information
and may be subject to the attorney-client privilege or other privilege. If you have received this e-mail in error, please immediately return it to the sender, delete it, and destroy any copies. If you have any questions, please contact the sender, Umair A.
Qadeer, by e-mail at <a href="mailto:umair@qadeerip.com">umair@qadeerip.com</a> or by telephone at (312) 248-3020.</span></p>
<p style="" class="MsoNormal"> </p>
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